The Carving Technology of the Handle-Shaped Artefacts from Yinxu (c .1300-1046 bc ) in China

A groundbreaking analysis of handle-shaped jade artefacts from Yinxu (c.1300–1046 BCE) reveals that these objects were likely crafted through a four-step process—rough shape cutting, edge reforming, handle making, and single-side polishing—contradicting earlier assumptions about their manufacturing techniques. The study, employing digital microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, also challenges the notion that these artefacts served as hairpins or handles, instead suggesting they were used as sacrificial offerings during the Shang Dynasty period in China. This finding provides new insights into the functional and ritual significance of jade objects from this era.

Yue, C. L., Song, G. D., Zhu, J., Ding, S. C., & Li, N. S. (2016). The Carving Technology of the Handle-Shaped Artefacts from Yinxu (c .1300-1046 bc ) in China. Archaeometry, 59(3), 566–573. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12276