Initial Scientific Analysis of the Bronze Cauldron Discovered in Xinjiang
摘要
Bronze cauldron is a unique container for the nomadic people of the Eurasian steppe. It may be used either as a cooking utensil or as a ceremonial device in sacrificial activities. Its emergence in the Eurasian steppe began in the early first millennium BC, and seems to be closely related to the rise of the nomadic tribes in the steppe. Many scholars have done in-depth research on the bronze cauldrons unearthed in northern and northwest China, so that we have a lot of new understanding of the type, distribution, age, and dissemination of bronze cauldrons. However, so far, very few people have studied the ancient bronze cauldrons from the perspective of metallurgical analysis. The analysis of the five pieces of bronze cauldrons unearthed in Xinjiang reported in this paper is only a preliminary attempt to attract the attention of the academic community and promote the research work of metallurgical archaeology. As can be seen from the work of this paper, metallurgical analysis can not only provide information about the chemical composition and production process of bronze cauldrons, but also raise some new questions, prompting us to explore the cultural background and connection reflected by bronze cauldron from various angles.