文物保护与考古科学2025，Vol.37Issue(5)：21-34,14.DOI:10.16334/j.cnki.cn31-1652/k.20240803335
三星堆出土带彩青铜器颜料科学分析与工艺研究
Research on the pigments and craftsmanship of colored bronzes unearthed at Sanxingdui
摘要
Abstract
To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the coloring techniques used on bronzes unearthed at Sanxingdui,this study focuses on newly discovered bronzes with colored decorations from the No.3,No.7 and No.8 sacrificial pits excavated during the second round of archaeological work at the Sanxingdui Site.Pigment fragments and powders that had detached and could not be reattached,as well as black substances on the bronze surface that could not be visually identified as pigments were collected and analyzed.Scientific methods-including stereo microscopy,polarized light microscopy,Raman spectrometry,scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry,pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,among others-were employed to systematically investigate the surface coloring and decorative process of 13 painted bronzes.The objective of this research is to provide comprehensive information on the pigments and technical characteristics of color application at the Sanxingdui Site. Microscopic observation,elemental analysis and organic residue testing of different samples revealed that on the painted bronzes,cinnabar was used as the red pigment,while carbon black was used as the black pigment.The cinnabar particles were relatively larger and lacked associated minerals,indicating that they were natural mineral pigments produced through grinding and cleaning,though the grinding process had not yet reached refinement achieved by the later"water flying"technique.In contrast,the carbon black pigment particles were finer,and their adhesion to the bronze surface was generally stronger.It was observed that the black patterns exhibited clear variations in shade and fineness,with visible starting points,turns,and joints of brushstrokes,as well as lines of differing thickness.Under the microscope,the strokes were evident,and the pigment layers overlapped,suggesting that the design was applied with a brush-type tool. Meanwhile,our findings indicate that the colored bronzes employed two distinct coloring techniques:filling and painting.The painting technique could be further divided into three sub-types:single-layer,double-layer and multi-layer painting.To better understand the painting process,simulated painting experiments were carried out using frosted glass sheets as carriers,focusing on paint thickness.For these experiments,cinnabar was simply ground to mimic the fragile state of the excavated artifacts.The cinnabar pigment was prepared with bone glue as a binder(ratio of glue to pigment being 1:50)and the pigment was applied uniformly with a flat-tip brush approximately 10 mm wide.After three layers,the thickness of the cinnabar layer measured approximately 60 μm under a super depth-of-field microscope.Bronze,as a dense and extremely smooth surface,poses challenges for pigment adhesion;insufficient binder or too few layers results in pigment flow,incomplete coverage,and weak attachment.These cinnabar-decorated bronzes unearthed from the sacrificial pits of Sanxingdui feathered larger cinnabar particles,a rich color palette,and pigment layers exceeding 100 μm in thickness,indicating the use of substantial binder and multiple color applications.Furthermore,patterns were primarily created with cinnabar.In some instances,carbon black was used as the base color,with cinnabar subsequently applied thereon.Besides,for a few objects,the black pigment was applied again on the red painting to form a black-red-black three-layer painting,creating a striking contrast.The use of the finer carbon black pigment as the base ensured the particular firmness of cinnabar on the object surface. To sum up,the colored bronzes unearthed from the sacrificial pits of Sanxingdui are numerous,have a long history,and were decorated with both filling and painting techniques.The types of decoration are diverse,and the coloring processes show considerable flexibility,with patterns closely reflecting the local aesthetics and painting skills of the time.The presence of larger cinnabar particles suggests that the grinding and sieving techniques for cinnabar were still in an early stage of development.The smoothness of lines and the intricacy of the patterns rendered in carbon black depended largely on the individual aesthetic and painting abilities of the artisans,indicating that a unified and standardized production and processing system had not yet been established.This research provides important insights into the evolution of decorative techniques in ancient Chinese bronzes.关键词
三星堆/颜料/青铜器Key words
Sanxingdui/Pigment/Bronze分类
历史学引用本文复制引用
刘江卫,周萍,朱思颖,郑芦,惠娜,李晓溪,杜维莎,黄建华,夏寅,肖庆..三星堆出土带彩青铜器颜料科学分析与工艺研究[J].文物保护与考古科学,2025,37(5):21-34,14.基金项目
陕西省重点研发计划(2022LL-ZD-01)、秦始皇帝陵博物院青年开放课题(Qkfkt202414)资助 （2022LL-ZD-01）
