Mirror casting was one of the most crucial handicraft industries in the late Bronze Age, offering a unique window into the political landscape, economic structure, and industrial organization of the period. A recent study by the Archaeometry Laboratory from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) conducted an interdisciplinary study on ancient Panchi mirrors and revealed the economic recovery during the reign of Emperors Wen and Jing in the early Western Han Dynasty. Their work was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
Panchi mirrors, a distinctive type of bronze mirrors widely used from the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty, serve as key artifacts for understanding the evolution of mirror-casting technology during eras of social transformation. The team performed a systematic analysis of 40 Panchi mirrors unearthed from Luan region in Anhui province, dating to the Qin and early Western Han dynasties (221 to 141 BCE). The mirrors were investigated for their decoration patterns, inscription content, calligraphic style, chemical composition, lead isotope ratios and trace elements.
The research revealed two distinct types of mirrors, reflecting a major transition in production techniques and material sourcing. The first type exhibits decorative structures strongly influenced by Chu-state mirrors and were cast using a specialized high-lead, low-tin alloy technique, differing significantly from known Qin, Chu, or Han mirror-casting techniques. These mirrors utilized a short-lived lead source, with their supply chains gradually disappearing during the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing.
The second type marks the beginning of the classic Han mirror tradition, featuring a tightly controlled low-lead, high-tin alloy technique and copper sourced from diverse regions. Their alloy selection and metal source aligned closely with typical mid-to-late Western Han mirrors.
Location of the mirror samples and the type classification, decoration characteristics and chronological framework of the mirror samples. (Image by the research team)
High-precision chronological analysis places this critical technological transition between two types during the reigns of Emperor Wen (180–157 BCE) and Emperor Jing (157–141 BCE), a period characterized by the effective implementation of the Restoration and Recuperation policy. The team concluded that this favorable state policy stimulated growth in handicraft production and mirror-casting development, laying a solid foundation for the formidable military and economic strength of Emperor Wu's era. This research offers rare material evidence of how early Han governance influenced the trajectory of technological and economic progress in ancient China.
Paper link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2025.106310
(Written by CHEN Yehong, edited by ZHANG Yihang, USTC News Center)
