History Main / Orichalcum

[[folder: Film - Live Action]]

* The name derives from Greek ὀρείχαλκος, oreikhalkos (from ὄρος, oros, mountain and χαλκός, khalkos, copper), meaning literally "mountain copper". The name "oros" was sufficiently close to vernacular pronunciation of Latin word for gold, ''aurum'' as ''oro'', that it was transliterated "orichalcum" as "aurichalcum," which was thought to literally mean "gold copper". It is known from the writings of Cicero that the metal which they called orichalcum resembled gold in color but had a much lower value. This description fits perfectly to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass brass]]. Brass itself is an alloy of copper and zinc, and while it was known to Ancient and Medieval world and manufactured by smelting copper and zinc-containing ores, zinc itself was isolated only by the Medieval alchemists and in 14th century India. Brass itself was first made from pure metals instead of ores in the 16th century. Today, "oreikhalkos" and "aurichalcum" means "brass" in modern Greek and Latin respectively.
** In 2015, 39 ingots believed to be orichalcum were [[http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/more-orichalcum-atlantis-alloy-turns-helmets-sicilian-shipwreck-what-was-021254 discovered in a sunken vessel on the coasts of Gela in Sicily]] which have tentatively been dated at 2,600 years old. They were analyzed with X-ray fluorescence by Dario Panetta of TQ - Technologies for Quality; they turned out to be an alloy consisting of 75-80 percent copper, 15-20 percent zinc, and smaller percentages of nickel, lead, and iron. This is high quality brass.

* In ''Film/AquamanAndTheLostKingdom'', orichalcum was the power source of ancient Atlantis, a glowy green metal which they abandoned because it was actually ''worse'' for the environment than any fuel the surface world has come up with since.They still have vast reserves of the stuff because they don't have any way to safely dispose of it.

* Orichalcum is retrieved from {{Atlantis}} in the opening scene of ''ComicBook/IronMan [[ComicBook/MarvelNoir Noir]]'', in which it's a MacGuffin power source.

Due to pronunciation changes, this word sometimes gets reborrowed as "orihalcon", [[SpellMyNameWithAnS particularly with works of Japanese origin]]. If you're curious why, in Ancient Greek the word was pronounced something like "ore-eh-kal-kos", which is reasonably similar to how it's pronounced in modern English, but in modern day Greece it's pronounced more like "oriy-khal-kos", with the "kh" in the middle being a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_velar_fricative voiceless velar fricative]]. If you speak Scottish or German, it's the "ch" sound in ''loch'' or ''acht''. Japanese borrowed the word based on this modern Greek pronunciation, but it further became muddled into オリハルコン ''oriharukon'', which unfortunately is different enough translators often fail to recognize it as orichalcum. (If Japanese borrowed the word based on English instead, it'd probably be spelled オリカルカム ''orikarukamu''.)

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire It's just like Plato described! ...Well, I mean, he was off on a few details.]]"]]

%% Image selected per Image Pickin thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16943027340.43327300
%% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread.

[[quoteright:350:[[WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_5310.jpeg]]]]

%% The examples on this page have been sorted alphabetically. Please help keep this page tidy by adding new ones in order. Thank you!

%% Zero-Context Examples are not allowed on wiki pages; all such examples have been commented out.
%% Please add proper context before uncommenting them -- a good example should explain *how* it's an example.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/NewGods https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orichalcum_dc.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Just ''one'' of orichalcum's many forms.]]

%% The examples on this page have been sorted alphabetically. Please help keep this page tidy by adding new ones in order. Thank you!

%% Zero-Context Examples are not allowed on wiki pages; all such examples have been commented out.
%% Please add proper context before uncommenting them -- a good example should explain *how* it's an example.

Due to pronunciation changes, this word sometimes gets reborrowed as "orihalcon", [[SpellMyNameWithAnS particularly with works of Japanese origin]]. If you're curious why, in Ancient Greek the word was pronounced something like "ore-eh-kal-kos", which is reasonably similar to how it's pronounced in modern English, but in modern day Greece it's pronounced more like "oriy-khal-kos", with the "kh" in the middle being a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_velar_fricative voiceless velar fricative]]. If you speak Scottish or German, it's the "ch" sound in ''loch'' or ''acht''. Japanese borrowed the word based on this modern Greek pronunciation, but it further became muddled into オリハルコン ''orihalkon'', which unfortunately is different enough translators often fail to recognize it as orichalcum. (If Japanese borrowed the word based on English instead, it'd probably be spelled オリカルカム ''orikalkam''.)

Due to pronunciation changes, this word sometimes gets reborrowed as "orihalcon", [[SpellMyNameWithAnS particularly with works of Japanese origin]]. If you're curious why, in Ancient Greek the word was pronounced something like "ore-eh-kal-kos", which is reasonably similar to how it's pronounced in modern English, but in modern day Greece it's pronounced more like "oriy-khal-kos", with the "kh" in the middle being a cross between a K sound and a H sound. If you speak Scottish or German, it's the "ch" sound in ''loch'' or ''acht''. Japanese borrowed the word based on this modern Greek pronunciation, but it further became muddled into オリハルコン ''orihalkon'', which unfortunately is different enough translators often fail to recognize it as orichalcum. (If Japanese borrowed the word based on English instead, it'd probably be spelled オリカルカム ''orikalkam''.)

*** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'': Orichalcum makes a comeback as one of the greatest yet rarest alchemy ingredients. To give you a scope on how rare it is, every other mineral in the game can be found as RandomlyDrops or by finding them on the ground in certain spots of the world map. {{Orichalcum}} is found ''nowhere'' in the world and the ''only'' monsters that drop them do so with a 1/256 chance, which is as rare as it gets in this game. Fortunately, when you ''do'' get your hands on some, you can use it for some of the best gear in the game, such as the Sage's Stone, which heals your entire party, as well as [[ContinuityNod Erdrick's gear]], which is the best gear in the game barring the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Uber-gear]].

* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': It's spelled "orihalcon", and its schtick is magic resistance -- it can block any spells.

* ''LightNovel/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'': It can be used as a valuable material to forge powerful weapons and armor, and is produced by fusing gold with [[FantasyMetals Magisteel]] (metal forged from magic ore transformed by exposure to high concentrations of [[{{Mana}} magicules]]), which transforms the gold into an extremely durable metal that conducts magical power very well while retaining its various unique properties. It sees its most noticeable use as the building blocks for [[spoiler:Veldora's skeleton monster in the Labyrinth as well as being the material Rimuru uses to create the skeletons of the ArtificalHuman bodies he prepped for three of his [[MonsterProgentior Primordial Demons]] while the other demons get "just" magisteel skeletons.]]

* In the ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic ''Fanfic/TheLongEventide,'' the mysterious Umbral Society passes along an artefact to one of their members that has orchicalcum in it. What exact properties the metal gives this artefact is currently unknown.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Used in association with Atlantis, as "the Orichalcos". It's a mysterious glowing, turquoise, rock-like substance that fell from the sky 10,000 years ago; the ancient Atlanteans used it to create a {{Magitek}} {{Utopia}}, but it was also TheCorruption and turned nearly everyone [[BalefulPolymorph into monsters]] and TheGoodKing, [[BigBad Dartz]], into an {{Immortal|ity}} BrainwashedAndCrazy EvilSorcerer and OmnicidalManiac, and pressed him into unleashing an EldritchAbomination to [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destroy the world]] and [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans create Paradise from the ruins]]. It was ultimately the reason Atlantis sunk beneath the waves.

* In ''VideoGame/SoulSacrifice Delta'', the Orichalcum are giant snails with treasure chests as shells. [[MetalSlime They have low spawn rates but high Life EXP or Magic EXP]], so be on the lookout for these guys.

** While not exactly magical, brass itself is a noble metal alloy and widely used on application which require resistance for corrosion, such as marine instruments, marine propellers, door handles, locks and coins. Brass is also irreplaceable as a metal for musical instruments. Aside from corrosion resistance, it's also soft enough to be easily worked, and low-melting enough to make casting a breeze. It also won't scratch harder metals like iron, and is also non-sparking.

** While not exactly magical, brass itself is a noble metal alloy and widely used on application which require resistance for corrosion, such as marine instruments, marine propellers, door handles, locks and coins. Brass is also irreplaceable as a metal for musical instruments.

** ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': Some items are made of the material, with various spellings. An orichalcum knife is a very strong item. ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles'' instead have it available in the form of ore to make items.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/NewGods https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orichalcum_0002.JPG]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Just ''one'' of orichalcum's many forms]]

%% Zero-context examples are not allowed on wiki pages; all such examples have been commented out.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]