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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

This study analyzes a lacquered ear cup excavated from the Luobowan tomb complex in Guigang, Guangxi, attributed to the Nanyue Kingdom of the early Han dynasty. A range of analytical techniques, including optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), were employed to investigate the structural layers, material composition, and preservation state of the artifact. The lacquerware consists of four traditional layers: a wooden core, fabric reinforcement, lacquer ground, and lacquer film, reflecting Central Plains lacquerware techniques. The wooden core was identified as Phoebe sp., and the fabric layer is likely hemp, though fiber degradation limited exact identification. The lacquer ground layer contains natural lacquer mixed with SiO2 from brick or tile powder. The lacquer film is a blend of Chinese and Vietnamese lacquer, with no synthetic additives or plant oils detected. The red lacquer layer contains cinnabar (HgS) as a pigment, while the black lacquer uses carbon black. Differences in moisture content between the red and black lacquer films are attributed to variations in surface porosity and pigment characteristics. This research provides valuable insights into Nanyue lacquer technology and preservation challenges.

Details

Title
Craftsmanship and Techniques of a Lacquered Ear Cup from the Ancient Nanyue Kingdom
Author
Lin, Zheng 1 ; Li, Xia 2 ; Zhao Zichen 3 ; Tian Shuang’e 4 ; Tang, Jianling 2 ; Li, Siming 4 ; Li, Xiaocen 5 ; Wang, Na 6 ; Yu Tengfei 7 

 Scientific Cognition and Protection Research Bases of Cultural Heritage, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China; [email protected] (L.Z.);, Anthropology Museum of Guangxi, Nanning 530028, China 
 The Museum of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 545000, China 
 School of Cultural Heritage, Northwestern University, Xi’an 710127, China 
 Anthropology Museum of Guangxi, Nanning 530028, China 
 Scientific Cognition and Protection Research Bases of Cultural Heritage, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China; [email protected] (L.Z.); 
 The Palace Museum, Beijing 100009, China 
 Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Urumqi 830011, China 
First page
752
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20796412
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3233127860
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.