关中东部地区的商代冶金

Bronze metalwork has been one of the highlights of Shang period archaeology and history of science and technology in the past few decades. However, the understanding of Shang period smelting technology is still quite limited due to the absence of smelting sites of that time. Taking this situation into account, the metalwork remains yielded from two archaeological sites, namely Laoniupo and Huaizhenfang, in eastern Guanzhong Plain are obviously crucial for the archaeo-metallurgical research of the Shang period. Primary materials related with smelting process such as ore and slag found there are especially significant for a better understanding of Shang period smelting technology. The proposed project is aimed to reveal the technical properties of Shang Dynasty's metalwork in Guanzhong area concerning their production types, smelting methods, technical level and product features through a series of fieldwork and laboratory examination of the technical remains and bronze artifacts. The investigation and necessary analysis of mineral deposits in related regions will be carried out to explore the resources using, regional technical character and the product distribution in the Guanzhong Plain. In the light of the Guanzhong Plain's importance concerning the Shang culture's westward development and interaction with northwestern territories, this research thereupon is hopefully to provide new scientific evidence for understanding a number of important issues of Shang archaeology and metallurgy, such as the metallurgical "Chaine opératoire" (industrial chain), the exploration of natural resources and the interaction among different areas under a cultural-technological perspective.

青铜冶铸技术是商代考古学和科技史研究的重要内容，铜的冶炼技术则是其基础命题之一。由于冶炼遗址发现较少，相关研究尚未系统展开，炼铜技术已成为商代冶金史研究中亟待解决的难点问题。位于关中东部的商代遗址发现了极为罕见的冶金生产遗存，尤其是炉渣、矿石等冶炼遗物，有望为深入研究商代炼铜技术提供全新的直接信息。本项目拟对上述冶金遗存和出土铜器开展系统的科学考察与检测分析，探明冶金遗存所代表的生产性质、冶炼方法、技术水平及产品特点，揭示其青铜冶铸技术的区域特征；结合周邻地区矿产资源调查和分析检测，探索新的研究方法，如多种同位素、微量元素等地球化学特征的综合分析，探讨金属资源利用和冶金产品的流布情况。鉴于关中东部地区在商文化向西发展及中原与西北地区交流互动中所处的重要位置，本项目的成果将为深入理解商代冶金生产的整体面貌、资源开发及区域间技术文化交流等重要学术问题提供新的科学依据。

本项目围绕老牛坡、怀珍坊两处关中东部地区重要商代遗址出土冶铸遗存，系统开展了考古资料收集与遗物调查，先后组织6次相关的田野调查，获取了炉渣、炉壁等冶铸遗物标本；开展了古代炉渣、炉壁等冶铸遗物及出土铜器的科学检测分析，累计分析各类样品120余件，获取元素成分、微观形貌、铅同位素等科学数据；结合考古学、冶金学及矿产资源调查结果开展综合研究，获得以下基本结论：（1）商代时期的关中东部地区存在本土的铜冶金生产，两处遗址所见冶铸遗物主要为铜冶炼过程的产物，炉渣玻璃化程度、金属元素回收率较低，冶炼水平相对较低，砷铜的生产是目前所见关中东部地区商代冶金的重要特点；（2）冶铸遗物所代表的冶炼过程主要包括铜氧化矿物的直接还原冶炼、纯铜与含砷矿物（铜砷共生矿物）二次冶炼等过程；（3）两处遗址出土炉渣样品的铅同位素比值的聚集度较高、并有重合，可能来自于相同的矿区，但与同时期在中原及长江流域广泛使用的高放射性成因铅矿料具有显著差异，其矿料来源与秦岭地区的金属矿产关系密切；（4）关中东部地区虽自二里头或稍晚时期既已受到中原青铜产业的影响，但保持有一定区域性特征，并至迟在商代晚期阶段，对关中西部（先周）、汉中盆地等地区产生了重要影响。本项目的研究成果填补了商周文明核心领域铜冶炼（Primary smelting）研究的空白，揭示出了关中东部地区商代青铜冶铸技术的区域特征及其资源获取方向，为全面认识中国商周青铜文明的整体面貌及区域交流融合提供全新的科学依据，具有重要的学术意义。