Metalworkers in the Sasanian empire (the last pre-islamic Persian empire) deliberately used brass for both decoration and warfare, choosing it strategically over traditional bronze for specific purposes, a new study reveals. Researchers led by Mark E. Davis of the British Museum’s Department of the Middle East analyzed copper alloy objects from two cities at opposite ends of the empire.
The findings, published in Archaeological Research in Asia, shed new light on how Sasanian craftsmen understood and exploited the unique properties of brass.
The research focused on objects recovered from Merv, a northeastern regional capital in present-day Turkmenistan, and Nineveh, an ancient city in northern Iraq.
Researchers applied X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and radiographic imaging to examine both the chemical composition and physical construction of the objects.
Quarter of Merv’s brass objects point to color-driven choices
At Merv, roughly a quarter of the analyzed Sasanian-era objects contained zinc, identifying them as brass rather than bronze. The earlier pieces, dating to the fourth and fifth centuries, were all cast items, including a lapis lazuli-inlaid hairpin and a bangle section.
Researchers concluded that craftsmen at this stage chose brass primarily for its golden color, which carried social prestige and offered a more affordable alternative to gold for lesser elites.
The varying zinc levels across these objects pointed to an inconsistent raw material supply, suggesting a mix of imported, recycled, and locally sourced brass rather than a stable local production network.
The later Sasanian objects from Merv, dating to the sixth and seventh centuries, showed a clear shift toward hammered brass sheet, reflecting a deeper understanding of the material.
Unlike bronze, brass does not harden quickly when worked, making it far better suited for shaping into thin sheets and precise components. This gave craftsmen a meaningful, practical advantage that went beyond appearance alone.
Nineveh helmets show Sasanian brass served warfare and decoration
That advantage was most visible in three military helmets excavated from Nineveh in the nineteenth century, now held in the British Museum. Radiographic imaging revealed that craftsmen had constructed each helmet from separate iron plates, wrapped those plates in thin brass sheeting, and assembled the structure using brass rivets and support strips.
One helmet retained a visible textile imprint on its iron plates, suggesting fabric was originally layered beneath the brass fittings. The unified brass finish gave each helmet a consistent and visually striking appearance.
Additional military evidence came from two brass-fitted helmets in Mainz, Germany, Sasanian splint armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a brass mace head cast over an iron core in the British Museum collection, all from the same late Sasanian period.
Gorgan wall findings hint at state-regulated brass production
Excavations of the Gorgan wall, a vast Sasanian frontier fortification, had previously indicated that the empire ran a large, centrally organized military by the sixth century.
Davis and colleagues argued that this military scale likely required a regulated brass supply chain, possibly involving state control over mining and the cementation process, through which copper absorbed zinc vapor when heated alongside zinc ore and charcoal.
Objects from the same Merv site dating to the early Islamic period showed a higher proportion of brass with more consistent zinc levels and fewer iron impurities, pointing to a more organized production system by that time.
Researchers suggested that the Sasanian military demand for brass may have built the production foundation that eventually made brass the dominant copper alloy across the Islamic world.
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