Called also mineral pitch, Jew's pitch, and bitumen, is a hard black substance, resembling pitch in appearance, but having a higher internal polish. It is found on the shores of the Dead Sea, in China, America, and some parts of Europe. Asphaltum was anciently employed in embalming dead bodies. The Temple of Jerusalem, and the walls of Babylon, are said to have been built of stones cemented together with asphaltum, for which purpose it is well adapted. It is sometimes employed in making black varnish, and is a component of the beautiful black liquid used in printing the numbers on watch and clock faces. The spec. grav. varies from 1 07 to 1.65. It is soluble in oils and ether, if pure Asphaltum was formerly employed in medicine, but it is now seldom administered.