A New Perspective on the Ore Source Supply and Potential Provenience of Han Bronzes from the Broader Lingnan Region

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Previous lead isotopic studies have noted significant shifts in the choice of ore sources for Western Han bronzes, coinciding with the expansion of the imperial network. While existing literature has highlighted the prevalence of ore sources from the Eastern Qinling region during this era, the importance of ore sources from the broader southern frontiers, notably the southern Hunan-Nanling mountain ranges, has been underexplored. Given the substantial role of these regions as suppliers of raw materials during the Eastern Zhou period, it is crucial to investigate whether local sources continued to be utilized during the Western Han period. This study presents novel results from lead isotopic analysis conducted on Han period artifacts from the broader Lingnan region. When combined with legacy lead isotopic data, our research indicates that the majority of vessels discovered in Hunan and Guangdong were made using ores from the Nanling mountain ranges (southern Hunan and northern Guangxi). However, other types of products exhibit a distinct pattern originating from non-local ore sources. This fresh dataset illuminates the sustained use of ore sources from the southern frontiers during the Han period, providing valuable insights into the diverse changes within the bronze industry during the consolidation of the Han state.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40002.0