Orichalch

The orichalch (in Greek old ὀρείχαλκος / oreíkhalkos , literally “copper of the mountains”, of ὄρος / óros , “mountain” and χαλκός / khalkós , “copper”) is a Métal or Alliage mysterious metal.

Orichalch in the ancient texts

The term is employed by the antiquated authors like that of the Bouclier of Héraclès (122), often allotted to Hésiode:

“Having thus spoken, put around its legs the Cnémide S of orichalch bright, present of famous the Héphaïstos. ”

One also finds it in the second Homeric Hymne with Aphrodite (v. 630 av. J. - C.), while speaking about the earrings of the goddess (IV, 9). The classic authors were unaware of to them-even what it acted. Later, the word was applied to an alloy of Cuivre and Zinc, i.e. the Laiton.

In the Critias (114e), Plato describes it like a metal used usually by the Telamones, inhabitants of legendary the Atlantis:

“The island provided the majority of the things necessary to the life. Initially, all metals, hard or malleable, extracted the ground by the work of the mine, without speaking about that of which there remains today only the name, but of which in this time there was more than the name, about this species which one extracted from the ground in many places of the island, orichalch. It was then the most invaluable metal after gold. ”

The description of the walls surrounding the various concentric circles forming Atlantis makes it possible to refine this hierarchy of metals: the external enclosure is covered with Bronze, the interior enclosure of tin, the enclosure of the acropolis, orichalch and that of the temple of Poséidon, of gold (116c).

The orichalch still meets in two other places of the island. Thus, the vaults Chryséléphantin be Temple dedicated to Poséidon are encrusted with money and orichalch, whereas the pavement and the columns are covered with orichalch alone (116d). Lastly, the law transmitted by Poséidon was engraved by the first kings on a column of this metal, located at the center of the island in the sanctuary of the god (119d).

This mysterious metal shines, says Plato of “a glare of Feu” ( πυρώδης / pyrốdês ), which lets think that it could be a question of an alloy containing copper or gold. One also evoked the Aluminum, contained in the Bauxite.

Dioscoride, a Greek doctor, provides, in the Sixties or 70 of our era, of interesting precise details on the plants and medications used at its time. He mentions in particular a white powder obtained by Calcination of certain stones being used for the production of orchicalque, a yellow Alliage containing Cuivre.

Orichalch in the modern texts

Just like the myth of Atlantis, the orichalch was used much by the authors of fiction, through novels or cartoons:

the News Atlantis of Francis Bacon (1627);
Atlantis of Pierre Benoit (1919);
in the cartoon the Enigma of Atlantis of Edgar P. Jacobs (1955);
in the cartoons the Spectrum of Carthage and O Alexandria (series Alix ), of Jacques Martin, the orichalch is a metal extracted the Météorite S. It seems radioactive and can start powerful explosions;
in the cartoon the absorbed Worlds , it is a mysterious blue metal necessary to an artificial sun;
in the Manga Black Cat of Kentaro Yabuki, the orichalch belongs to the hardest metals in the world and is used for the design of various weapons;
in the Manga Striker of Hiro Takashige and Ryuji Minagawa, Yu Ominae has a knife and an armor in orichalch which become more resistant as the pressure exerted on metal increases.
in the Manga Yu-gi-oh! it is mentioned orichalch;
in the play Final Fantasy IX , one of the scraping-knives of Djidane bears the name of orichalch;
in the play Indiana Jones and the Fate off Atlantis , it is mentioned pearls of orichalch;
in the Old play off Mythology: The Titans , the ultimate improvement of the walls of civilization telamon are the walls of orichalch;
in the play Kingdom Hearts II , the ultimate material is called the orichalch;
in the video game Final Fantasy XII; spoils name nugget of orichalch and are recoverable on the monster will deidara, although it does not have a priori any bond with the spoils. It should be noted that the Headlight of Ridorana where this monster is completely insulated on the open sea and inaccessible by boat;
in the extension " Poséidon" play the Master of Olympe , the orichalch is one of the important sources to design the ornaments of the monuments, in particular on the continent of Atlantis;
in the cartoon Thorgal appears a named ring Ourobouros, made in orichalch, making it possible to travel in time.
in the manga Holy Seiya / the knights of the Zodiac , the orichalch is one of materials with gammanium and the dust of star which uses the composition of the crowned armours.

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