Learning about ancient Chinese bronze casting and the piece mold process
Did you know that around 4,000 years ago the ancient Chinese invented their own unique metallurgical technique to cast bronze objects? Well, we have a new video that goes into detail about the technique!
Guang vessel, part of an ensemble of 10 bronzes, near the end of the Shang dynasty (11th century BCE), from Henan province, China. Musée Guimet, Paris, France.
(Photo: Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
While everyone else in the ancient world was using the lost-wax technique invented in ancient Mesopotamia, the ancient Chinese of the Shang dynasty invented the section mold technique (also known as the piece mold technique). It was used to cast different types of bronze objects, including tools, weapons, and vessels. The technique involves the use of clay models and complicated piece molds, which were never reused. This means every Shang vessel was made from an original clay model and an original mold—even vessels that are identical!
Replica model for piece-mold process. Hubei Provincial Museum, Hubei Province, China.
(Photo: © Cortney Chaffin Kim)
Learn more about Shang bronzes, including the ores and process used to make the alloy of bronze. Explore the unique metallurgical technology the ancient Shang people used to cast gorgeous bronze vessels decorated with images of fantastic creatures such as taotie and gui dragons!
Our video is the perfect introduction to bronze casting in China!
Check out the video below or on our video page for more resources!
Here is what the video covers:
0:00 Introduction
0:17 History of ancient Chinese bronzes
0:28 Value of bronze in ancient China
0:47 Where does bronze come from?
1:50 What was bronze used for in ancient China?
2:17 Queen Fu Hao’s bronzes
3:02 Shang bronze decoration–taotie and gui dragons
4:02 How is an ancient Chinese bronze vessel made? The piece mold technique
6:50 Reviewing ancient Chinese bronze metallurgy
