Long before the discovery of zinc as a metal, zinc ore was already being used to produce
the copper-zinc alloy brass as well as zinc salts for medical purposes. Objects made of
brass are known from Babylonia and Assyria from 3000 BC, and from Palestine dating
from 1400 - 1000 BC.
The addition of zinc to copper for the first time was proven by a piece of jewellery from
around 500 BC found on Rhodos. And even if zinc was used from that date to produce
brass for example, many centuries nevertheless passed until it could be identified as a
metal. The name "zinc" only came into general use in the 17th century following
rediscovery of the material.
