| Abstract: |
The Haimenkou site near the Erhai lake, is located in the Jianchuan County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. This remarkable site played an important role in the cultural history of the minority in that area, because of some striking archaeological finds, particularly metal objects. Some scholars thought that it marked the beginning of the Yunnan Bronze Culture, however such a view is controversial. In 2008, during the third excavation by the Institute of Yunnan Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, nineteen metal artifacts have been found. In this article, the results of the analysis of seven metal artifacts are presented. They were analyzed preliminarily by using an optical microscope and the scanning electron microscope in order to elucidate the technological characterization and identify the cultural attribution. Copper, bronze and antimony bronzes were identified. They were employed for casting, forging, and cold working after casting. One bracelet found in lower stratum was proved to be wrought iron. This research adds new technical data for the reconstruction of the development of metal technology in ancient Yunnan.
|
