HISTORY OF BITUMEN

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 252, 21 July 1934, Page 22

HISTORY OF BITUMEN

Used by Ancient Egyptians PRESERVING THE DEAD A study of the history of bitumen reveals the interesting fact that modern methods of protecting steel pipes—using bitumen on bitumen-soaked sheathing—follow generally the lines adopted by the ancient Egyptiqus 4500-5000 years ago for preserving Hie dead. The body was preserved mostly by treating with bitumen followed by being wrapped with a large amount of cloth in narrow strips either soakpd in bitumen or afterward impregnated with this material, which was largely obtained from the Mesopotamia area. Bitumen, however, seems to have been used at first as a cement. The extreme resistance to moisture and disintegration generally is well indicated by ancient Sumerian statues (Euphrates area) dating from about 3000 8.C., which have the eyes and other portions such as small shells to inti tate the scales of fish, still tightly attached because of the use of bitumen as a cement.

Great confusion has always been caused by the words "tisplitilt.” “bitn men.” and "pitch.” For example, tn the United states ‘asphalt” has quite u different meaning from that in Great Britain or France. The word “asphalt” comes from Babylon, iqeaning a uatn ral bitumen, and this has passed through Greek, aud then Latin to English and French (asphaltej. To the Greeks the mime was synonymous with "stable” or "resistant.” and most of the ancient races of the Near East. Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians used bitumen as q cement in statuary its well as a mortar for building qnd as a protective against water, especially for boats, both inside and outside, on the same liqes at; Stockholm tar many c&ntnrles later. To this day bitumen is still, of course, used in making boats on the. 'Tigris, lor example Herodotus also described n well In Ihe iieighbourhood of Kirkuk which produced' "aspha’t, salt, and oil.” which seems to be the first definite reference in literature to petroleum. The name "bitumen” comes from Sanscrit, by way of Latin, but whether this referred act: illy to natural bitumen most found u; petroleum areas, or to general darkcoloured resinous material, is not clear.