Identification of surface coatings on ceramic bronze-casting moulds from the Houma foundry, Shanxi, China. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Quanyu; Wang, Yazheng; Liu, Naidong; Wu, Meng; Su, Rongyu; Liu, Yu
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 48(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: Ceramic moulds -- Bronze-casting -- Surface coatings -- Houma foundry -- China; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.103858
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Highlights: Seventy-two mould (model or core) fragments bearing surface coating layers from the Houma foundry (770–221 BCE) – the largest Bronze Age foundry site found to date in China, were selected for the study, in which 23 pieces were studied in detail using complementary analytical techniques. Four pieces of moulds or cores from the Yinxu site (c. 1251–1046 BCE), were studied for comparison. Different coatings were found between moulds and models (or cores). Insect wax or animal fat were probably applied to cores. Most of Houma moulds appeared to have been used in casting and dusted with bone ash, gypsum, calcite or a mixture of these on the fine silty clay surface prior to casing to ease the removal of cast artefact from the moulds and obtain a smooth surface of the artefact. The study demonstrated the importance in the use of complementary analytical techniques to interpret the coating layers on the ceramic moulds so as to better understand the bronze casting traditions. Abstract: The ceramic piece-mould casting technique was predominant in the Chinese Bronze Age. A coating layer, often found on the moulds', models' or cores' surface, had important effects on the cast quality. The materials, production and function of the coatings in the bronze casting process have not been sufficiently studied. In this paper, 23 pieces of model/mould/core fragments from the Houma foundry (of the Eastern Zhou period, 770–221 BCE), the largest Bronze Age foundry site found to date in China, were studied using complementary analytical techniques. The results showed different coatings between moulds and models (or cores). Insect wax or animal fat were probably applied to cores. Most of the Houma moulds appeared to have been used in casting. They had been dusted with bone ash, gypsum, calcite or a mixture of these on the fine silty clay surface of the moulds prior to casing to ease the removal of cast artefact from the moulds and obtain a smooth surface on the artefact. Four pieces of moulds from the Yinxu foundry at Anyang, Henan were also studied for comparison.