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)