Studies on the Ground Layer of Lacquerwares from Between the Mid-Warring States Period and the Mid-Western Han Dynasty Unearthed in the Changsha Region

Abstract

The Changsha region was an important place in China during the heyday of lacquerwares, from the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty (476 bc – ad 9), when lacquerwares were used with varied styles and beautiful ornamentations. However, the process used to make lacquerware was previously unknown. By analysing samples of fragments of lacquerware found in the Changsha region dating back to between the Mid-Warring States Period and the Mid-Western Han Dynasty (390–87 bc), this paper demonstrates the varied constitution of the ground layer by analysing the features of the technique using non-destructive methods. It also shows that the use of potassium alum, gypsum, carbon and brochantite as fillers in the ground layer can be dated back to the Mid-Warring States Period. Furthermore, a comparison of techniques for ground layers from the Changsha region and other areas in China during this period is proposed on this basis.