Ancient
Iron Plates Unearthed in Central China
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����A cache of ancient
iron plates once again saw the light of day after they had been
smelted about 2,000 years ago.
����The plates were found in an amusement park
being constructed on an ancient metallurgical site in Nanyang in
central China's Henan Province.
����Being 0.5 centimeters thick and five to 20
centimeters in length, these plates were in the shapes of a square,
rectangle and trapezia.
����It was the first time to uncover hoarded iron
plates in the metallurgical site in the city.
����Archaeologists said the finding gives valuable
hints to metallurgy in the Western Han Dynasty (BC206-24AD).
����Nanyang already had a developed iron-smelting
industry during the Warring States Period (BC475-BC221). It developed
into a national iron-smelting center in the Western Han Dynasty,
and iron utensils made in Nanyang were used in 17 counties of the
dynasty.
(People's Daily 12/07/2000)
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