Metallographic analysis of the recent excavated domestic iron objects from Muyi, Yunnan Province, China

Archaeological evidence shows that the use of iron in Yunnan could be dated to as early as the Warring States Period (fifth to third century BCE). There are large numbers of iron objects excavated from Yunnan, but very limited metallurgical analysis was studied. Iron objects excavated from the Muyi site provide an opportunity to study the iron production technologies in Yunnan during the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). Three metallographic …