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Early iron objects of southwest China: a case study of iron objects excavated from Qiaogoutou cemetery site, Sichuan Province

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Abstract

Iron objects excavated from the Qiaogoutou cemetery site provides an opportunity to study iron-making technology during the late Warring States period and the early Western Han dynasty in southwest China. Five metallographic samples were prepared and analysed. The results are discussed in relation to other studies of iron objects discovered in southwest China.

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Notes

  1. ‘Records of the historian’, by SiMa Qian, who died 90 BCE. This great book tells the history of the known world from mythical beginnings to SiMa Qian’s own time.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Donald Wagner for his insightful comments, support and assistance. The comments made by the anonymous reviewers helped to improve the quality of the manuscript and are gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This research was funded by The National Social Science Fund of China (No.15ZDB056).

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Correspondence to Yuniu Li.

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Li, Y., Li, Y., Yuan, H. et al. Early iron objects of southwest China: a case study of iron objects excavated from Qiaogoutou cemetery site, Sichuan Province. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 11, 1187–1198 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-017-0595-1

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