Six chemical formulas are given in the Chinese text known as Kao Gong Ji, which is said to have been written in 300 BC. Known as the world’s oldest technology encyclopedia, the manuscript contains items such as swords, bells, axes, knives and mirrors, as well as information on how they were made.
Scientists have determined the limit of the world’s population
Mysterious components solved 100 years later
Since 1920, researchers have been striving to translate the main components recorded as jin and xi. Experts translate these words as copper and tin, key components in bronze making, but when researchers tried to reconstruct the components, they noticed that metal appeared instead of the material seen in ancient Chinese artifacts. Now, researchers believe they have correctly identified the true meaning behind the mysterious ingredients.
Jin means gold in modern Chinese. However, in the past, copper was used to mean copper alloy or just metal. According to one of the researchers, these components were used in the largest bronze industry in Eurasia.
Coins were also examined
The researchers also analyzed the chemical composition of Chinese coins minted near the time of Kao Gong Ji’s writing. Previously, researchers thought the coins were made by diluting copper with tin and lead. The new study revealed that the coin’s chemical composition is formed by mixing two metal alloys, one made of copper, tin and lead, and the other made of copper and lead. The two researchers concluded that jin and xi were premixed metal alloys.
The findings show that centuries ago bronze production relied on combining alloys rather than pure metals, and metalworking was more complex than previously thought.
Will shed light on future ancient research
The researchers say that such analyzes will be useful in deciphering other writings about ancient mining from different cultures and regions in the future.
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