Early iron production technology of Lingnan, China: A case study of the Yinshanling cemetery site

Abstract

Lingnan was the home of the Bai Yue (hundreds Yue) tribes before the Qin conquest (214 BCE). This paper is aimed to provide a primary understanding of the iron production technology of Lingnan in the Qin and Han dynasties through the metallographic study of the excavated iron objects from the Yinshanling cemetery site. Thirty-three samples from the site were prepared and analysed, and we report here the results of metallographic and elemental examination of the specimens. The origin of the iron objects of Lingnan and the monopoly policy of iron in the remote areas during the Han Dynasty are discussed. We conclude that most of the cast iron objects excavated from Lingnan were very likely imported from the northern areas, possibly from Shu, Chu and Wu, and the forged iron objects were possibly produced locally with imported primary material.