Scientific analysis and research on the Western Han Dynasty lead objects unearthed from Xi’an city, Shaanxi province, China

Lead objects constitute a significant category of metal funeral artifacts from the Western Han Dynasty. However, there has been a notable absence of scientific analyses dedicated to this subject. In this study, ten lead objects dating back to the Western Han Dynasty, sourced from the Dabaiyang sites...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEuropean physical journal plus Vol. 139; no. 8; p. 729
Main Authors Duan, Chenggang, Zuo, Tian, Chen, Dian, Luo, Wugan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 13.08.2024
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Applied and Technical Physics
Atomic
Batch annealing
Cemeteries
Chinese history
Complex Systems
Condensed Matter Physics
Isotope ratios
Lead isotopes
Mathematical and Computational Physics
Metallurgical analysis
Metallurgy
Molecular
Optical and Plasma Physics
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Reference materials
Regular Article
Theoretical
Tombs
Shaanxi China
China
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN2190-5444
2190-5444
DOI10.1140/epjp/s13360-024-05540-1

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Summary:Lead objects constitute a significant category of metal funeral artifacts from the Western Han Dynasty. However, there has been a notable absence of scientific analyses dedicated to this subject. In this study, ten lead objects dating back to the Western Han Dynasty, sourced from the Dabaiyang sites in Xi’an, were examined. The analysis employed metallurgical observations, SEM–EDS, and LA-MC-ICP-MS methods. These objects were found to be cast without annealing or forging. Composed entirely of pure lead, they exhibited minor soil impurities and sporadic metallic elements introduced during incomplete separation or from accompanying copper. The lead isotopic characteristics of artifacts from the same tomb are very similar, indicating they may have been batch-produced. The lead isotope ratios are divided into three groups: two likely from the Xiaoqinling area near Xi’an, and the other from Hunan, slightly farther away, matching the pattern between the lead isotopes and different ages previously discovered. Based on archeological findings and lead isotope data, we suggest that lead minerals from Hunan were locally collected and smelted during the early Western Han Dynasty and then transported to Xi’an through Nanyang. Graphical abstract
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ISSN:2190-5444
2190-5444
DOI:10.1140/epjp/s13360-024-05540-1