Scholars have long been interested in the sources of metal minerals used for Xia and Shang bronzes.The pattern of lead isotopic variation in bronzes from the Xia,Shang and Zhou Dynasties has been largely clarified,but the widespread use of the lead addition process has resulted in lead isotopic data primarily indicating the sources of lead materials,while the provenances and variation of copper materials remain unclear.This study gathered the published trace element data of Xia and Shang bronzes and conducted a multivariate statistical analysis,revealing similarities of the trace element data between bronzes excavated from Erlitou and the Erligang phase of Zhengzhou,which showed a similar pattern of variation to that of the lead material,and implied an inheritance of copper and lead materials used for Xia and Shang bronzes.The trace elements of the Upper and Lower Erligang bronzes did not change significantly,indicating that the source of the copper material had not shifted during the period,whereas the lead material changed from the low ratio lead to the highly radioactive one.There were many similarities of the trace elements between Erligang-phase bronzes from Zhengzhou and those from Panlongcheng,suggesting that the copper material had been circulated between the two locations.The trace element differences between Erligang-phase bronzes from Zhengzhou and those from the late Shang sites of Xiaohucun,Yinxu and Sanxingdui were significant,and differed from the continuity of lead material shown by the highly radioactive lead,suggesting a significant shift in the provenance of copper material from the early to the late Shang Dynasty.The similarity of trace element data of bronzes excavated from different sites in the Central Plains during the Yinxu period suggests that there was not only a sharing of highly radioactive lead material between different areas during that time,but also circulation of some copper materials between them.However,different copper materials may have been used at sites in Shandong,northern Shaanxi and the Chengdu Plain.The continuation of similar copper material from Erlitou to the Erligang period,and the shift in the provenance of copper material from the Erligang to the Yinxu period coincide with the mining and abandonment of the Zhongtiao Mountain copper mine,implying that the copper material from Erlitou to the Erligang period was primarily produced from the mine.The copper material shift during the Yinxu period may be attributed to the large-scale copper mining activities in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River,such as Tongling and Tonglushan.
关键词
青铜器/铜料产地/微量元素法/多元统计分析
Key words
Bronze/Copper material provenance/Trace element method/Multivariate statistical analysis
万方数据