Evolution of Mongolian bronze technology with the rise of the Xiongnu State

Abstract

The emergence of the Xiongnu State in Mongolia reflected a period of increasing foreign influence, especially from China. Metallurgy was likely one of the key cultural components that may have reacted sensitively to this influence. In our ongoing project focusing on metallic objects excavated from the royal Xiongnu tomb at Golmod 2, we found a group of bronze artifacts possessing an important clue as to the general understanding of the contemporary Xiongnu bronze industry. The assemblage in question consists of 21 exotic ornaments, each nearly identical in shape and size and all associated with the horse-drawn wagons interred in the tomb. They were made of copper alloys containing on average 3.8 % arsenic, 3.0 % lead, and 1.3 % tin by weight. This recipe was a continuation of the unique steppe bronze tradition drawing on the copper-arsenic system as dictated by limited access to tin. The addition of lead, however, was a notable departure driven apparently by Xiongnu-Han interaction. This development likely reveals an important facet of the Xiongnu communities seeking a refined adjustment to the bronze recipe. This enhancement likely served to meet the growing demand for exotic items such as those under consideration, whose stylistic characteristics have led to erroneous conclusions as to the political affiliation of their producers.