Hanzhong bronzes and highly radiogenic lead in Shang period China

Chen, Kunlong; Mei, Jianjun; Liu, Siran; Yang, Wei; Martinón‐Torres, Marcos; Zhao, Chen; Hirao, Yoshimitsu; Chen, Jianli; Liu, Yu

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2018.11.010

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In their major study of the early metal objects at Hanzhong (Chen 2009;Chen et al 2009Chen et al , 2019Mei et al 2009), Chen and colleagues emphasized that the people at Hanzhong were producing their own unique metal objects. Significantly, they also identified that these 'local' objects (e.g.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Panlongcheng, Zhengzhou and the Movement of Metal in Early Bronze Age China

et al. 2019

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The role of Panlongcheng-a walled settlement on the Yangtze River with obvious links to the Erligang capital at Zhengzhou, ~ 500 km to the north-in early Bronze Age China has been the subject of much debate. Panlongcheng is a typical Erligang site (~ 1500-1300 BC), with evidence for people of elite status, unlike any other site apart from Zhengzhou itself. The tombs and bronzes at Panlongcheng, as well as other materials, closely resemble those at Zhengzhou. Why was Panlongcheng established along the Yangtze River, and what were the Erligang elites doing there? Considering the rich copper deposits in this area, it is widely assumed that the major function of Panlongcheng was to ship metal to Zhengzhou, and in return to receive bronze vessels from Zhengzhou. The purpose of this paper is to revisit this discussion through a re-evaluation of the scientific data on the bronzes from each site. A series of differences and similarities in the chemical and isotopic compositions of the metal objects at Panlongcheng and Zhengzhou are identified, suggesting that the relationship was more complex than was previously thought. In this light, despite a close social and presumably political affiliation with Zhengzhou, Panlongcheng appears likely to have had its own metal-casting capability, rather than having to rely completely on finished objects imported from Zhengzhou. This discovery encourages scholars to reconsider the metal supply network and the underlying political landscape in early dynastic China, shifting from a linear model to a complex but probably more realistic one.

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Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Panlongcheng, Zhengzhou and the Movement of Metal in Early Bronze Age China

et al. 2019

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“…A total of 30 objects were sampled by both Chen et al . (2019) and the current project. Most of these overlapped samples give close Pb isotope ratios apart from six exceptional ones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The analytical results of a sickle‐shaped object from Longtou (1980CHLTT:55) differ greatly in both Pb isotope ratios and alloy compositions between our data and that of Chen et al . (2019), thus the samples are almost certainly from different artefacts. However, the reason for the large data deviation of the other five objects is not yet clear.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2006; Chen et al . 2009, 2012, 2016, 2019; Mei et al . 2009; Liu 2016), among which the result of the Pb isotopic analysis of bronze wares has received significant attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lately, Chen et al . (2019) analysed the Pb isotope ratios of a group of Hanzhong bronzes and explicitly identified the nearby Qinling Mountains as the source for the Shang HRL metal resources. The present paper provides the newest data for the alloy compositions and Pb isotope ratios of the Hanzhong bronze assemblage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revisiting the lead isotopic compositions of the Shang bronzes at Hanzhong and the new hypothesis of Qinling as the source of highly radiogenic lead

et al. 2020

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The provenance of the highly radiogenic lead (HRL) contained in Chinese Shang bronzes has attracted great scholarly attention in recent years. A new study of the Hanzhong Shang bronzes has put forward a hypothesis that the HRL metal may come from the adjacent Qinling Mountains. This article reanalyses the lead isotope ratios and alloy compositions of the Hanzhong bronzes. Combining the analytical results, the modern ore data and the slags from Guanzhong area, we propose that there is no direct evidence to identify Qinling as the provenance of HRL metal (especially lead). Whilst over 80% of the Hanzhong bronzes contain HRL, the indigenous artefacts containing both HRL and special alloying elements (As, Sb, Ni) account only for minor portions. This fact cannot verify that HRL originates from Qinling, and even makes it difficult to prove that most of the Hanzhong bronzes use local metal resources. An alternative argument might be that the HRL used in Hanzhong derived from the Shang dynasty. The use of HRL reflects a unified system for allocating metal resources centred on the Shang kingdom, which has great significance for further understanding of the resource circulation patterns among different bronze cultures and locations during the Shang period.

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