Scientific Study On The Shang And Zhou Periods Bronzes Unearthed From Northern Shaanxi

The loess highland of Northern Shaanxi and Shanxi is the main area where Northern complex bronzes were unearthed and where the Anyang-style bronzes and Northern complex bronzes coexisted. The area played an important role in connecting bronze cultures in the Central Plains of China as well as those in the Eurasian steppe. This dissertation conducted a research on the characteristics of bronze metallurgical technology and resource provenance from the late Shang Dynasty to the late Warring States Period by detecting and analyzing elemental composition, microstructure, lead isotope ratios, trace element composition and manufacturing techniques of unearthed bronzes in Northern Shaanxi. In addition, it analyzed the lead isotope ratios of some bronzes and metallurgical relics unearthed from the Yinxu site in Anyang, and further discussed connections and exchanges of bronze objects and raw metal materials between the loess highland and the Central Plains of China in the late Shang Dynasty.The diversity of metal materialin Northern Shaanxi is clearly shown by six major alloys, which have been identified as unalloyed copper, tin bronze, leaded copper, leaded tin bronze, arsenical copper. Three alloys of copper-tin-lead system occupied dominant position over the various types of bronzes in each period, while little arsenic copper were discovered in Zhou dynasty. The research of resource provenance showed a relatively big amount of the late Shang dynasty Northern complex bronzes unearthed from Northern Shaanxi used the same highly radioactive lead ores with Anyang style bronzes unearthed from the Yinxu site. Even more interestingly, most of Northern complex bronzes unearthed from the Yinxu site used highly radioactive lead ores as well. Additionally, the sources of metal materials in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty are differentiated by cultures in Northern Shaanxi, such as Jin culture, Xirong culture and Northern complex culture.In general, Northern Shaanxi area seems to have closer relationship with the Central Plains of China than with the Eurasian steppe in the late Shang dynasty, as evidenced by the exchange of bronzes, metal materials, as well as metallurgical technology. This research is significant for its identification of the cultural communications between Central Plains and its surrounding areas in the Shang and Zhou dynasties.