Investigation of some Chinese jade artifacts (5000 BC to 771 BC) by confocal laser micro-Raman spectroscopy and other techniques.

The study on material properties of ancient stone or jade artifacts is essential to trace the trade routes of raw materials, the tools used to making them, and moreover the social function of the artifacts. In present research, we focused on 23 intact samples that were made of versatile rocks. These samples dated from 5000 bc to 771 bc were unearthed from the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins in China. Based on the analytical results of confocal laser micro-Raman spectroscopy, 14 minerals consisted of these rocks such as muscovite, antigorite, calcite, quartz, diopside, turquoise, corundum, and sillimanite were identified. The obtained scientific information about their primary material properties helps us to better understand their social functions and technologically related issues. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]