Materials and technology of Chinese jades dating to the Western Zhou period (1050—771 BCE)

摘要

Excavated jades dating to the Western Zhou period (1050—771 BCE) from the Xi'an area in Shaanxi Province, China, and contemporaneous jades in the collections of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution have been studied to learn about the jade and stone materials and how they were worked during the Western Zhou period. Materials identification was carried out using a combination of techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Tool marks were studied using stereomicroscopy and examination of mold impressions using scanning electron microscopy. All of these objects were produced through simple processes involving solid drilling, riffling, and sharp point abrasion; and no evidence was found for the use of rotary tools for incising or sawing.