BRASS (Gr. χαλκολίβάνον), an alloy of copper and zinc which contains small amounts of other metals, particularly lead and tin. It is more prone to corrosion and tarnishing than bronze (q.v.), but has long been used for ornamental work as well as for various structural purposes. The melting point varies from 1050-850^oC, with increase in zinc content progressively lowering the melting point. Like bronze, the atoms are arranged in the same crystalline manner as copper, the atoms forming a face-centered cubic structure.

Brass of c. 1500 b.c. and containing 23% zinc and 10% tin was found at Gezer in Pal. This like other early brasses was prob. obtained by heating copper with charcoal and smithsonite (zinc carbonate), a mineral known to occur in the old silver mines of Laurion, Greece. However, the general use of brass postdates much of OT times with most references to “brass” in KJV tr. in NEB as “bronze” (Num 21:9; 1 Kings 7), “bronze” or “copper” (Exod 26:11) or “copper” (Exod 25:3; Job 28:2). The shining bright yellowish color of friction-polished brass is referred to in Revelation 1:15; 2:18 (NEB) with “brass” of 1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV tr. as “gong” in NEB. See Bronze.

Bibliography J. R. Partington, A Text-book of Inorganic Chemistry, 6th ed. (1950), 777-779.