The analysis of materials has proved to be an indespensable tool for a correct description of archaeological, art-historical and ethnological objects. With a precise description of the material, i.e. the composition of copper alloys or the mineral content of ceramics, date or place of origin of historical objects can frequently be deduced with great accuracy. Chemical analysis also is of great importance for identification of forged works of art. The aim of the work was primarily to get analytical data of the alloy used in the life-size bronze statue Jüngling vom Magdalensberg for correlating elemental composition to the chronology of ancient metal casting practices.