Casting Technology and Craft Production of Bronze Wares in the Central Plains of China in Late Shang Dynasty (13thBC-11th BC)

Summary

Casting technology played a more significant role in the formation of Chinese ancient civilization than any other early civilizations. Accompanying with the appearance of bronze vessels in Erlitou period (1800B.C.-1500B.C.), the piece-mold casting technology was first established and then became a prolonging thousand-year traditional method after Shang Dynasty. The formation of piece-mold casting technology tradition, which is very different from mainly using the forging method and lost-wax process in the west Asia, is closely related to the craftsman’s technological choice.

Therefore, based on the scientific analysis of bronze vessels and foundry remains from Yinxu，the sequence of the production of bronze casting, and the origin and evolution of casting technology in late Shang dynasty was discussed. By carefully analyzing casting technology and production procedure of bronzes in late Shang Dynasty, a better understanding of the forming process of technological style in ancient China, furthermore, the evolution of bronze production technology, and the great effect of mass production on the development of ancient societies was achieved. They will be important to the study of bronze culture in ancient China.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage