The Provenance of Copper Materials for bronze chariot-horses Unearthed from Yang'an Han Tomb in Qionglai, Sichuan Province revealed by the lead isotope analysis and trace elements analysis.

A collection of bronze chariot-horses was discovered in the Yang'an Han tomb in Qionglai City, Sichuan Province. These bronzes was used as burial objects, symbolizing the high status of the tomb owner during his lifetime. To analyze the samples taken from the bronze chariot-horses, various scientific techniques were employed, including metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscope energy dispersive (SEM–EDS), multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) were used to analyze samples from the bronze chariot-horses. Unlike most Han bronzes made of leaded tin-bronze, the bronze chariot-horses were crafted using copper and tin, and their metallographic structure revealed that they were cast. The origin of the copper material used for the bronze chariot-horses differed noticeably from that of bronzes excavated in the Sichuan area from the late Warring States period and Western Han period. Historical documents and archaeological findings suggested that the owners of the bronze chariot-horses were possibly vassals. As the Sichuan region was governed by the central government of the Western Han Dynasty through the establishment of prefectures and counties rather than through the enfeoffment system, the presence of the bronze chariot-horses in Yang'an Han tomb may be related to the family of Liu Yue (刘越). The analysis of the lead isotope data indicated that the copper material likely originated from the southeastern Hebei and western Shandong, providing strong evidence for the link between the bronze chariot-horses and the family of Liu yue in terms of resource circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]