Techniques for Producing Ultra-thin Bronze Vessels: A Basic Study to Reconstruct the History of Metal Craft in China

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25284033
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: Tokyo National Museum
• Principal Investigator: KAWAMURA Yoshio 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京国立博物館, 学芸研究部, 主任研究員 (80419887)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MATSUMOTO Nobuyuki 東京国立博物館, 副館長 (30229562) ; AKANUMA Kiyoshi 東京藝術大学, 美術学部, 教授 (30267687) ; TANI Toyonobu 東京国立博物館, 学芸研究部, 部長 (70171824) ; WADA Hiroshi 東京国立博物館, 学芸研究部, 室長 (60332136) ; YANO Kazuyoshi 東京国立博物館, 学芸企画部, 主任研究員 (60392544)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TORIGOE Toshiyuki 奈良国立博物館, 学芸部, 室長 (80416560) ; ICHIMOTO Rui 九州国立博物館, 学芸部, 主任研究員 (40416558)
• Research Collaborator: IMAI Shio ; KAWACHI Shinpei ; IKEDA Motoko ; HIROKAWA Mamoru ; HASHIZUME Fumiyuki
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 考古学 / 金属工芸史 / 中国古代史 / 極薄青銅器 / 製作痕 / 3次元計測 / ＣＴ撮影 / 製作実験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The ultra-thin bronze vessels, with thickness less than 1mm, has seen a wide-spread distribution in China since the late Spring and Autumn Period (fifth century BC). Some examples of these ultra-thin bronze vessels from the collections including those from the Tokyo National Museum, Kuboso Memorial Museum of Arts, Izumi, were tested by a three-dimensional scanner, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, and a CT scanner. The series of analysis made it possible to visualize various kinds of surface marks made an object was being made, as well as to reveal component composition and an internal structure. In addition, techniques and methods for producing the ultra-thin bronzes, inferred from those data, were tested at a metal casting studio of Tokyo University of the Arts. As a result, it became clear that the ultra-thin bronze vessels were created using new techniques different from the traditional techniques of the ancient Chinese bronze production.

Free Research Field

中国考古学