试论楚国铁器的使用和发展

我国出土的早期铁器大都集中于楚国，目前出土的楚国早期铁器从上个世纪70年代的10余件增加到40余件，时代上限从春秋晚期上溯到了春秋中期。楚国最早的铁器发现在今鄂西，开始使用的铁器主要为农具，还有一些小型利器。至春秋晚期，楚国已有了锻造的铁器。楚国铁器，从战国初开始容器变大，刀剑变长，新器形大量出现。到战国中期，精工铁器和铜铁合铸的铁足铜鼎流行。楚国大约从春秋中期开始冶铁、用铁，到春战之交，社会已进入了铁器时代。

Tentative Discussion on Application and Development of Chu Irons

Of all the china's early irons, the majorities, whose total amount has accumulated to more than 40 pieces since the 1970's, are excavated from the Chu state, and the date assigned to the earliest appearance is suggested as early as the middle phase of the middle Spring and Warring period. The earliest Chu irons, founded from the western Hubei region, are mainly in forms of agricultural implements and small utensils with cutting-edge. By the late Spring and Autumn period, Chu has already developed the techniques to cast irons. At the beginning of the Warring States period, irons changed dramatically, such as large container, long sword and other new shapes of irons appeared at this period. Deliberately-produced iron vessels and bronze ding tripods with iron feet were popular during the middle Warring States period. In short, irons debuted in the Chu state at the middle Spring and Autumn period, and the society stepped into a new Iron Age by the interim between the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States period.