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Techniques employed in making ancient thin-walled bronze vessels unearthed in Hubei Province, China

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Abstract

In this paper, two ancient thin-walled bronze vessels unearthed in Anlu County of Hubei Province, China, were studied systematically by using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and nanoindentation system, and also we calculated the Sn diffusion in a Cu substrate based upon the substitutional mechanism at high temperature. The results indicated that the vessels were possibly fabricated using the following processes: (1) alloying the high-tin Cu–Sn bronze; (2) casting the preliminary shape of the vessels; (3) forging the vessels in the temperature range of 586–798 ∘C; (4) simply wiping tinning on the surface of the vessel at high temperature; (5) quenching the vessels to room temperature; and (6) at last, grinding and polishing the surface of the vessels. It seems that the present thin-walled bronze vessels provide an evidence of the spread of thin-walled high-tin bronze technology in China and its surrounding regions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Science Fund for Talent Training in Basic Science (Grant No. J0830310) and the Bureau of Culture of Wuhan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy and MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Yang Li, Taotao Wu, Lingmin Liao, Chengwei Liao & Chunxu Pan

  2. Anlu County Museum, Anlu, 432600, China

    Lang Zhang

  3. Center for Archaeometry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Guantao Chen & Chunxu Pan

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  1. Yang Li
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  2. Taotao Wu
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  5. Lang Zhang
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  7. Chunxu Pan
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Correspondence to Chunxu Pan.

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Li, Y., Wu, T., Liao, L. et al. Techniques employed in making ancient thin-walled bronze vessels unearthed in Hubei Province, China. Appl. Phys. A 111, 913–922 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7312-9

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