Figure - uploaded by Jianli Chen
Content may be subject to copyright.
Micrographs of metal droplet. a General view of H315:001–1. b, c Dendritic segregation of typical bronze-casting structure. Light-gray phase is (α + δ) eutectoid structure and white phase is dispersed lead particles
Source publication
The Early Shang (sixteenth to fourteenth century BC) capital at Zhengzhou revealed two large-scale bronze casting foundries and a large amount of metallurgical remains. They have only recently been subjected to detailed chemical and mineralogical characterizations. Three different forms of metallurgical crucibles and a metal droplet were analyzed w...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... metal droplet sample consists of a thick metal layer enclosed by soil. The typical as-cast structure with dendritic α phase, (α + δ) eutectoid, and dispersed lead particles were identified (Fig. 4). The un-corroded part of metal droplet H315:001-1 contains 83.4 wt% Cu, 5.6 wt% Sn, and 5.0 wt% Pb according to SEM-EDS analysis. This droplet was Table 1 Information and analytical methods for all fifteen samples involved in this study Sample code Type Chronology Testing area Analytical ...Similar publications
Objective:
The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of potassium iodide on dentin discoloration and ion penetration into the pulp chamber after application of silver diamine fluoride (SDF).
Methods:
Proximal surfaces of extracted one-rooted sound human teeth were polished to obtain flat dentin and treated with 17% EDTA fo...
Citations
... Sixteen moulds and two cores were selected to further analysis, and their cross-sections were mounted with epoxy resin. They were prepared following standard procedures (Sun et al., 2022) to make polished blocks, which were then carbon-coated for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) analysis. A Tescan Vega III SEM equipped with a Bruker XFlash 6|10 EDS was used for the detailed microscopic and chemical analyses. ...
Recent archaeological excavations revealed a significant amount of bronze casting moulds and cores dated to the Middle-Shang period and demonstrated it as a vital stage in the development of casting technology in Bronze Age China. This study has analyzed fifty-three mould and eight core fragments from the Taijiasi site, dated to the Middle Shang III period, using micro-CT scanning, SEM-EDS, and p-XRD. The results show that four types of materials combined in distinct ways to form three mould types at this site. Moulds for smaller bronze vessels with band-like patterns were constructed with a sand tempered material while only pattern sections were replaced with a c. 5–10 mm layer of fine silt-rich material. In contrast, moulds for larger vessels with extensive decorative patterns have a double-layered structure, comprising a fine silt-rich internal layer and a sand-grog tempered external layer. Moulds for tools and weapons were made of unprocessed loess. Casting cores display a texture similar to sand tempered moulds. This research uncovered a nuanced material selection strategy for mould manufacturing at the site of Taijiasi and highlighted the innovations of mould-making techniques in the Middle Shang period.
... The bronze production remains (e.g., slag and crucible) has been proved to be a rich source of information and may even shed new light on the provenance question (Liu et al., 2018). Recently, Sun et al. (2022) proposed determining the functions of copper processing crucibles based on the trace element patterns of their slag linings, and successfully identified three different types of metallurgical crucibles from the Nanguanwai (南关外) bronze casting foundry at Zhengzhou Shang City (Fig. 1b). This foundry was used from the Lower Erligang to the Upper Erligng periods and revealed a large number of bronze casting moulds and crucible fragments (Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, 2001) (Fig. 1c). ...
... This foundry was used from the Lower Erligang to the Upper Erligng periods and revealed a large number of bronze casting moulds and crucible fragments (Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, 2001) (Fig. 1c). The three types of metallurgical crucibles involved in the previous study are all dated to the Upper Erligang I period and are associated with copper smelting/refining, bronze alloying, and bronze pouring, respectively (Sun et al., 2022) (Fig. 2). The identification of remains from various steps of bronze production processes allows us to further resolve the metal provenance issue of Zhengzhou Shang City and shed new light on the metal circulation system of the Early Shang dynasty. ...
... 14 century BCE) based on the stratigraphy and typology of the associated pottery (Online supplementary material (OSM) Fig. S1). In a previous study, they were divided into Type A, B and C based on varied typology and trace element pattern (Sun et al., 2022). ...
Lead isotope analysis of crucibles and a metal droplet has revealed new information about the provenance of the lead and copper resources used at Zhengzhou Shang City during the Upper Erligang period. The crucibles were found to be divided into three types and associated with copper smelting/refining, leaded tin bronze alloying, and bronze pouring. The copper smelting/refining crucible contains common lead (206Pb/204Pb = 18.12) and low Pb content in its slag layer. In contrast, the bronze processing crucibles mostly contained highly radiogenic lead (206Pb/204Pb ≥ 19). One bronze pouring crucible was found to have an exceptionally low 206Pb/204Pb ratio (≤17.2), indicating that it was made with recycled bronze from an earlier period. This research is the first to reveal the lead isotope characteristics of the copper material used during the Upper Erligang period, which is strikingly different from the dominant highly radiogenic lead reported in previous research. The Middle Yangtze River Valley is tentatively proposed as the geological source. This result also shows that the Upper Erligang Shang people had a complex metal supply network, including at least southern copper, highly radiogenic lead, and recycled early bronze.
