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From 2014 to 2016, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Cultural relics Conservation cooperated with the Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Chow Tai Fook Master Studio to study "Ancient Chinese Gold Craft". The project carried out research from the perspective of historical documents, scientific and technological archaeology and experimental archaeology. Completed the research on the development history of ancient Chinese gold technology, the development history of gold technology and the scientific detection and analysis of gold artifacts.

It basically clarifies the origin, development process and production methods of gold technology in ancient China.

The research result "Red Stars and Purple Smoke-Ancient Chinese Gold Craft" was officially published in October 2019, including the development history of ancient Chinese gold technology, the development history of gold technology and the case of scientific detection of gold artifacts. It provides valuable materials for the exploration of the historical, cultural and scientific value of gold relics, and is of great significance to the protection and inheritance of traditional gold technology.

I. The history of gold craftsmanship in ancient China.

A large number of gold artifacts unearthed by archaeology in China are important material materials for the study of the origin and development of gold craftsmanship in ancient China.

The gold earrings and gold and silver nose drinks unearthed at the Huoshaogou site in Gansu Province show that the ancient ancestors began to use gold as ornaments as early as the Xia Dynasty.

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, gold wares were mostly made into gold foil or small ornaments of various shapes, which were used for decoration on objects of human body or other materials, resulting in techniques such as hammering and molding. Gilded objects appeared in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, and there were gold inscription casters in the Spring and Autumn period, and the types of objects were extended to utensils, chariots and horses, currency and so on.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, the technology of gold wares became more and more refined and mature, including mold casting, hammering, wire choking, chisel carving, wrong gold and silver, gilding and so on, which basically covered the category of ancient Chinese gold and silverware making technology.

To the Tang Dynasty, gold and silverware, on the basis of traditional craftsmanship accumulated in previous dynasties, absorbed the production style and technology of gold and silverware brought about by foreign culture, and created an unprecedented splendid gold art.

II. A brief introduction of several gold techniques in ancient China.

The gold crafts in ancient China mainly include hammering, chiseling, casting, beading, wrong gold and silver, gold gilding, gold wire, spot jade and so on. The second part of this book expounds the origin, development process and technical characteristics of these processes.

In addition, according to the literature records, the research team carried out simulation experiments on casting, pearlization, wrong gold and other processes, and demonstrated the feasibility of ancient gold technology.

III. Scientific detection and analysis of gold technology.

The third part of the book is the scientific detection cases of several gold processes, mainly using three-dimensional video microscope, scanning electron microscope energy spectrometer, micro-morphology observation and chemical composition analysis, to provide images and data for gold production process.

The process of staggered gold, which originated in the Spring and Autumn period, is to carve a shallow groove (narrow at the top and wide at the bottom) on the surface of the bronze ware cast by the mold, then properly heat and beat the gold wire or piece of gold into the groove, or squeeze it into the groove with tools made of jade and agate, and finally grind the bronze with the wrong stone, so that the surface of the gold sheet and the bronze ware is smooth to achieve a "strict seam".

The gilding process, which can be traced back to the early Western Zhou Dynasty, is a traditional process in which the alloy (gold amalgam) formed by the mixture of gold and mercury is coated on the surface of utensils at room temperature, and then baked at high temperature to make mercury evaporate, while gold remains on the surface of utensils.

Therefore, the detection of mercury on gold objects is a necessary condition to judge the gilding technology.

Li Bai, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in "Qiupu Song" that "the fire shines on heaven and earth, and the red stars are scattered with purple smoke". A bright and warm smelting scene comes into view. The title of this book is "Red Stars chaotic Purple smoke". Reflects the splendor of ancient Chinese gold art.

Due to the limitations of historical documents, material materials, scientific and technological detection and analysis methods, this study's understanding of ancient Chinese gold technology is not comprehensive and in-depth, and there will inevitably be mistakes in the book. I hope your colleagues will not hesitate to comment.

Written by: Ji Juan.

Review: Han Jianwu

On February 26, the results of the preliminary evaluation of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2017 were officially announced. After voting by members of the Archaeological Expert Group of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, directors of the Chinese Archaeological Society, and 80 archaeological excavation qualification units across the country, from the 40 excavations and excavations that participated in the preliminary evaluation The 26 archaeological discoveries with the highest votes in the survey project were selected for the final selection. The archaeological discoveries that entered the final evaluation came from 18 provinces and autonomous regions across the country. Among them, two new archaeological discoveries, which were excavated by the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, were successfully shortlisted for the Miaodigou Cultural Cemetery at Gaoling Yangguanzhai Site and the Liujiawa Spring and Autumn Cemetery in Chengcheng. In addition, Shaanxi also shortlisted the Qin and Han Liyang City Ruins in Xi'an, Shaanxi.

The Yangguanzhai site is located on the east side of the fourth group of Yangguanzhai Village, Jijia Street, Gaoling District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. It is located on the first terrace on the north bank of the Jinghe River about 4 kilometers northwest of the junction of Jinghe River and the current Jinghe River course in the south. 1 km, it is the site of a super large central settlement in the middle and late Yangshao period in Guanzhong area. Since its first discovery in 2004, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology has carried out archaeological work on the site for more than ten years. From 2015 to 2017, in order to explore the distribution of the functional settlements in the northeastern part of the site, a large public cemetery was discovered during targeted archaeological excavations outside the eastern section of the site. According to preliminary findings, the total area of ​​the cemetery exceeds 90,000 square meters, and the distribution of tombs in the area is very dense. It is preliminarily estimated that the total number of tombs will reach several thousand. So far, 211 of the Miaodigou cultural tombs have been excavated and cleared. The excavation results show that the size of these tombs is generally small, and the direction of the tombs is basically east-west. Some of the tombs have been found around some of the tombs with signs of "flags" marking the location of the tombs. Based on this, it is inferred that the tombs were carefully constructed and used. The plan is similar to the "Bang Tomb" in "Zhou Li·Chun Guan". The tombs in the shape of the tombs are dominated by partial cave tombs, and there are a few vertical cave earth pit tombs. No wooden burial tools have been found in the tombs that have been excavated. Only traces of suspected braided wraps have been found around human bones in individual tombs. The burials are all single-time burials. The detailed bones of individual tomb owners are missing or displaced, and there are a few abnormal deaths. The number of unearthed burial objects is small, and most of the burial objects are not found, which may be related to the identity of the tomb owner. However, the burial objects such as heavy-mouthed and pointed-bottom vases, colored pottery pots with curved abdomen and muddy cylindrical oblique belly have the typical characteristics of Miaodigou culture, which provide strong evidence for the chronological study of this batch of tombs.

The cemetery is the first recognized large-scale cemetery of Miaodigou culture in China, filling the blank of archaeological discoveries in related fields, providing a basis for us to further understand the settlement layout of the Yangguanzhai site from a macro perspective, and also for the settlement pattern of Miaodigou culture , Burial customs, ethnography, blood relationship, social organization and other major topics have accumulated physical data. In addition, the partial cave tombs discovered this time are the earliest known remains of the same kind. The appearance of this type of tomb is advanced by more than 500 years, which is the origin and spread of this type of tomb, as well as the Guanzhong area and western China. , And even Western cultural exchanges and influences have provided precious archaeological materials, which have very important academic significance.

Liujiawa Cemetery is located in Liujiawa Village, Wangzhuang Town, Chengcheng County, Shaanxi. The cemetery was discovered after being stolen at the end of 2016. At the beginning of 2017, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology formed an archaeological team with related units to carry out systematic field work on the cemetery and its neighbors, and achieved important results.

First, drilling confirmed the scope of the cemetery and the number of tombs, and understood the shape and layout of the tombs. The total area of ​​the cemetery is about 7,700 square meters. A total of 56 tombs, 2 horse pits and 1 horse pit were discovered. Particularly eye-catching are the two large tombs in the shape of "中" (No. M1 and M2), which are arranged side by side in the east and west of the cemetery. The second is to fully excavate the cemetery. In 2017, a total of 20 tombs were excavated, and artifacts such as copper, gold, iron, stone, and jade were unearthed. Tombs mostly use wooden coffin burial equipment, and the owner of the tomb often faces north, with straight legs. Judging from the characteristics of the tombs and burial objects, the age is early or slightly late in the Spring and Autumn Period. Third, through systematic investigations in neighboring areas, two residential sites matching the age of the cemetery were found, including pottery kilns, ash pits, slab stacks, and pottery fragments, and one site composed of rammed earth and trenches with an area of ​​more than 10 Ten thousand square meters of core area. Judging from the characteristics of the collected pottery and slabs, the dates of the two residences are around the early and middle spring and autumn.

The Liujiawa cemetery, whether it is the layout of the cemetery, the characteristics of burial customs, or the characteristics and combination of burial objects, should be a typical cemetery of the Zhou ethnic group. The identity of the owner of the tomb should also be the rank of the princes and monarchs. Rammed earth walls, slabs, building materials, and pottery fans also demonstrate the extraordinary level of settlements corresponding to the cemetery. It is inferred from this that this place should be the place where a certain Zhou clique feudalized the country during the Spring and Autumn Period. This is undoubtedly another important new discovery of Zhou Dynasty archaeology in the eastern part of Guanzhong, Shaanxi. It is of great significance for the study of the feudal system and related issues in the Gyeonggi region of the Zhou Dynasty.

The selection of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country started in 1990. It has always been regarded as an important award in the archaeological circle. It has considerable influence among the academic circle and the public, so it has attracted much attention. The selection of the top ten new archaeological discoveries nationwide was officially launched on January 24, 2018. According to the schedule of selection activities, the final evaluation meeting will be held in Beijing from April 9 to 11, and the final 2017 year will be announced. A list of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country.

Attachment: 2017 National Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries Finalist List