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Here's the thing about it
I researched it and followed Doug's lead.
as a scientist
there is nothing mysterious about it.
Touchstones were used BUT we now use acids which they did not before
I like the ring
But acids we did not have

 

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Since they probably did not have the acids that we use now, they may have had some kind of reactant, or just went by color comparisons to reference streaks that were of known purity ??

 

They do compare the streak to reference streaks. See the Wikipedia article on Touchstones.

Whether "they" had acids depends on who "they" were. The alchemists of the Middle Ages deserve a lot of credit. Nitric acid and hydrochloric acid both date to the 13th century; and the Geber processes are the ones sometimes still used for them today. However, sulfuric acid (vitriol) was known to the Sumerians. They catalogued several kinds by color - something we still do.

Short of those mineral acids, the only available oxidizers were urine (usually horse urine) and vinegar.

But, again, credit the alchemists. By distilling vinegar, you can get glacial ascetic acid.

 

GREAT references there, Thanks a lot!

I just didn't think to google those search terms, but you nailed it perfectly.

I read up on and now feel much more knowledgeable about the ancient methods.

 

Thanks for the links and references. I appreciate your hard work on our behalf, certainly on mine.