Did China Import Metals from Africa in the Bronze Age?

The origins of the copper, tin and lead for China's rich Bronze Age cultures are a major topic in archaeological research, with significant contributions being made by archaeological fieldwork, archaeometallurgical investigations and geochemical considerations. Here, we investigate a recent claim that the greater part of the Shang‐period metalwork was made using metals from Africa, imported together with the necessary know‐how to produce tin bronze. A brief review of the current status of lead isotopic study on Shang‐period bronze artefacts is provided first, clarifying a few key issues involved in this discussion. It is then shown that there is no archaeological or isotopic basis for bulk metal transfer between Africa and China during the Shang period, and that the copper and lead in Shang bronze with a strongly radiogenic signature is not likely to be from Africa. We call for collaborative interdisciplinary research to address the vexing question of the Shang period's metal sources, focusing on smelting sites in geologically defined potential source regions and casting workshops identified at a number of Shang settlements.     

Scientific examination of Shang-dynasty bronzes from Hanzhong,Shaanxi Province,China

Shang-dynasty bronzes recovered in the Hanzhong region, Shaanxi province have been receiving considerable research interest since the 1950s due to their strong regional characteristics. This paper presents preliminary analytical results of 16 samples taken from 13 Hanzhong bronze objects, which, for the first time, have revealed their diversity in chemical composition and casting quality. In particular, the finding that some correspondence probably exists between the types of artefact and their materials has significant implications for identifying regional technical characteristics of the Hanzhong bronzes, as well as for exploring the interaction between the metropolitan areas of the Shang Kingdom with the areas beyond its southwestern frontiers.     

Comment on ‘Did China Import Metals from Africa in the Bronze Age?’

Lead isotope compositions provide a direct means of assessing provenance. The lead contents in bronzes cannot be used to argue against lead isotopes. Any claim for the origin of the source material for the origin of Yin‐Shang bronzes must satisfy the measured lead isotope compositions. Thus far, only southern African sources are found to meet this criteria.     

爵用平议--兼与《青铜爵的功用、造型及其与商文化的关系》一文商榷

关于商周青铜爵的用途,有饮酒、温酒（或兼饮酒）、滤酒等说。近年还有人认为爵是祭祀时“浇酒敬神”之用,并将其与商人的玄鸟图腾崇拜相联系。本对以上爵用诸说逐一平议,尤对“滤酒”和“图腾”二说予以详细检讨,并就图腾说下的相关问题与李少龙先生商榷。至于爵的可能的真实用途,拙《爵用新考》已为述（载《中原物》1998年第3期）。     

济南刘家庄商代青铜器

济南刘家庄出土的商代青铜器,时间为段墟化二期至四期,对于了解商王朝晚期的东进提供了新的史料。     

陕西甘泉县阎家沟墓地出土晚商青铜器的科学分析研究

阎家沟墓地处于关中地区与陕北地区的边界地带,文化因素较为复杂。为探究晚商时期关中地区与陕北地区之间的文化交流和陕北地区青铜铸造业的发展状况,本研究首次对阎家沟墓葬出土的十二件青铜容器进行成分分析和金相组织观察,结果表明十二件青铜器中有五件为红铜材质、四件为铅砷青铜材质、两件为砷青铜材质及一件铅青铜材质,十二件青铜器均为铸造,部分青铜器铸造后经过了热处理。结合文献分析,阎家沟墓地出土青铜器的\"无锡高铅高砷\"材质不同于中原地区青铜器和北方地区青铜器。其自身的重食传统比陕北地区其他李家崖文化遗址更为突出,表明阎家沟地区在某些方面其自身文化传统仍占据着主导地位。但这种现象具有特异性,其本质上仍是属于李家崖文化遗址中的一员。分析结果可为研究商晚时期关中地区与陕北地区间的文化交流提供借鉴。     

殷墟1004号王墓出土青铜胄研究

对商晚期都城殷墟遗址的1004号王墓出土的7件青铜胄进行了热电离质谱(TIMS)铅同位素比值分析和电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-OES)成分分析,数据显示铜胄的合金类型可分为两类——锡青铜和铅锡青铜,且其二者的铅同位素比值均处于高放射性成因铅范围。此研究结果为探索金属矿料的产地来源及此著名王墓的年代等问题提供了重要线索。     

先秦时期青铜钺的再研究

青铜钺在先秦时期具有重要礼制意义。鉴于考古材料的日益丰富,本文在前人研究的基础上,运用考古类型学研究方法并结合文化因素分析法,总结出青铜钺发生发展的时代性和地域性。同时以此为基础,结合古文字和历史典籍资料,探讨了商周时期的用钺制度。     

浙江省博物馆收藏的一批商周青铜器

浙江省博物馆收藏有一批商周青铜器,包括鼎、簋、爵、斝、觚等,来源不一。本文对其中15件礼器作了初步整理与分析,认为它们在器型、纹饰、铭文等方面皆具有较为明确的时代特征。     

Long‐distance interaction in Urartu?: Provenance and composition of copper alloys from Ayanis,Turkey

The paper analyses tin bronze weaponry found at the first‐half‐of‐the‐seventh‐century‐BCE Urartian fortress in the Lake Van region of eastern Turkey. Examples of finely manufactured artefacts provide evidence for the consumption of high‐quality bronzes in a well‐defined elite context. This study tests for the presence or absence of long‐distance procurement of the raw materials used to produce status objects. The results of quantitative elemental and lead isotope abundance ratio analyses show that the bronzes were produced with varying copper tin alloys, and the copper was procured from several possible locations, including Anatolia and Cyprus.     

湖北黄梅意生寺遗址发掘报告

湖北黄梅意生寺遗址是配合黄黄高速公路建设所发掘的一处重要的早商遗址,其上限可早到石家河文化时期。这次发掘揭露出了一批早商遗存,器物的演变具有连续性,它们既包含了中原商文化因素,又具有较强烈的地方特征,是研究早商时期考古学文化非常重要的考古资料。     

商周球铃装饰的起源与流向

本文探讨了商周时期球铃装饰的起源和流向,从发生动因、社会背景、参考原型等三个方面讨论了球铃装饰的起源,并指出在东周时期,球铃装饰衰落,球铃转而成为一种独立的装饰品,用来缝缀在服饰上。     

殷墟青铜器铭文的制作方法

殷墟出土青铜器铭文的制作方法,可分为铸铭和刻铭两大类。铸铭占绝大多数,刻铭极少。铸铭的制作方法有模作铭、芯作铭和范作铭等三种形式,以模作铭为主。刻铭出现于殷墟四期,目前虽然只发现4件刻铭铜器,但其意义重大,不仅把中国青铜器刻铭的历史追溯到商代晚期,而且为研究青铜器铭文的制作技术,尤其是刻铭技术,提供了十分珍贵的实物资料。     

基于《金文资料库》的《尚书》文献用字研究(二)

殷周金是地下出土字材料,《尚书》语言是传世献,二大体可以认为是共时的语言材料。前局限于格式,后损失在历代流传抄写过程。将二进行参互比较,对于降低两种语言材料的读解难度,认识该时段语言及用字特点、频率,建立专家数据库,具有不可替代的价值。华东师大中国字研究与应用中心开发研制的《金资料库》,所收青铜器铭释对应的青铜器囊括2001年上半年以前所出土并发表共13271器,为以往任何金录形式所不及。本是在对《尚书》历代传本基本用字调查的基础上,开展基于计算机《金资料库》的《尚书》献用字研究。本所给出的有关数据,就目前而言都是穷尽性的。章的第一部分刊于‘中国字研究》第3辑。     

广东深圳市盐田区黄竹园遗址发掘简报

2001年3～5月,深圳市博物馆、市文管办等单位对黄竹园遗址进行了抢救性发掘。发现的遗迹有商时期灰坑1座、墓葬11座,春秋时期的墓葬5座,出土较多陶器、玉石器和少量青铜器等遗物。其中商时期遗存可分为二组,第一组的年代约在早商的偏早阶段或早商时期;第二组的年代约在早晚商之际。     

宁波钱岙商周遗址试掘简报

宁波勤县铁岙商周遗址的调查与试掘,发现了印纹硬陶、原始瓷、青铜器等大量商周遗物,为探讨东南沿海地区商代至西周时期历史面貌提供了珍贵的资料。     

殷都制盐业的探索

盐是人类赖以生存的基本物质之一。商代王都人口众多,对盐的需求量甚大,在当时生产和交通条件都不发达的情况下,单靠从商都之外运入,恐怕难以满足。今天的豫北地区在商代虽然比现在温暖湿润,生态环境良好,但仍然存在某些盐碱性土壤。因此,殷都食盐除了从山东、山西以及四川等地区输入外,普通百姓也可能就地取材,制造土盐,以满足自身生存的需要。     

Special alloys from remote frontiers of the Shang Kingdom: scientific study of the Hanzhong bronzes from southwest Shaanxi, China

More than 200 bronze objects found in Hanzhong, southwest Shaanxi Province, China, a frontier region of the Shang Kingdom during the Shang dynasty, have been analysed for their composition and microstructure. Forty-three typologically distinct, and probably culturally indigenous, items have been found to be compositionally distinctive as well. This paper presents analytical results of the two types of local Hanzhong bronzes, namely the sickle-shaped and sceptre-shaped objects. Three special alloys, arsenic bronze, antimonial bronze and copper–nickel–arsenic ternary alloy, are particularly emphasized and discussed. The archaeological context of Hanzhong bronzes and their significance for the archaeometallurgy research of the Shang period are discussed as well.