Preliminary analysis of iron remnants from three archaeological sites in Central and Eastern Taiwan

Abstract

During the past few decades, it has been widely believed that bloomery artifacts found in Taiwan archaeology were locally produced, while cast iron might have been exchanged from mainland China. However, the argument needs refinement as cast iron has long been the dominant ironworking technology in China. Nevertheless, bloomery smelting technology has also been adopted in peripheral regions of China, leading to the establishment of several local workshops.