Noun: orichalc
- A metallic mineral of a reddish colour, known in ancient Greece, second only to gold in value, but mined out by Plato's time. He mentions brass, tin and much orichalcum in his comparison of Athens with Atlantis -- perhaps, allegorically, fools' gold v the utopian ideal
"Archaeologists debated whether the artifacts were made of orichalc or a more common alloy";
- orichalcum
Derived forms: orichalcs
Encyclopedia: Orichalc