Unification and Convergence: A Microstructural and Provenance Analysis of Copper-Based Artifacts Excavated from the Baiyanghe Cemetery (Fukang City, Xinjiang, China) Dating from the Eastern Zhou to the Tang Dynasty

The establishment of the Silk Road facilitated stable communication between the Central Plains and Xinjiang. A key unresolved issue in archaeometallurgy is how Central Plains cultural influence may have contributed to technological change in Xinjiang’s copper alloy systems. This paper analyzes copper-based wares excavated from Baiyanghe Cemetery in Fukang City, Xinjiang, China, using material microscopy, metallographic microscopy, SEM-EDS, LA-ICP-MS, and MC-ICP-MS. The results show both casting and forging techniques. Trace element and lead isotope data indicate copper and lead ore sources. Alloy technology continued Xinjiang’s tradition of pure copper and tin bronze but may also reflect the adoption of lead, a crucial Central Plains alloy component. Lead isotope data indicate that high-leaded bronzes mainly used lead ores from outside northern Xinjiang with multiple sources; some artifacts and raw materials may have been imported from the Central Plains. Tang Dynasty metallurgy retained Eastern Zhou copper resources while integrating new metal sources, further diversifying copper sources. From the Eastern Zhou to the Tang Dynasty, alloy technology and mineral sources at Baiyanghe Cemetery show increasing Central Plains-related influence, a pattern that may be associated with central administration of the Western Regions. This paper provides evidence suggesting extensive communication and interaction between ancient Xinjiang and the Central Plains through metallurgical archaeology.