The archaeometallurgy team published an article in *Asian Archaeological Studies* entitled "Chadiping: A Ming Dynasty Cast Iron Smelting Site in Southeastern Chongqing"

Recently, the metallurgical archaeology team of Professor Li Yingfu from the Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University, in collaboration with the Chongqing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, systematically introduced and studied the Chadiping Ming Dynasty iron smelting site in Chongqing, with the title 'Chadiping: A Pig Iron Production Site of the Ming Dynasty in Southeast Chongqing, China'. The article was published online in Archaeological Research in Asia. Professor Li Yingfu from the Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University is the first author of this article, doctoral student Huang Wan is the second author, doctoral student Sun Tianqiang is the fourth author, and Associate Professor Li Yuniu is the corresponding author of this article. Huang Wei and Niu Yingbin from the Chongqing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and Professor G. Juleff from the University of Exeter, UK, are co-authors of this article.

The Chadiping Ming Dynasty iron smelting site is located in Pengshui County, Chongqing, east of the largest tributary on the south bank of the Yangtze River - the Wujiang River (Figure 1). In 2012, a preliminary investigation by the Chongqing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology revealed 21 smelting furnaces. In December 2014, Sichuan University, in conjunction with the Chongqing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, conducted a systematic excavation of the site.

Figure 1 Location map of the Chadiping site

The article details the relative positions and furnace structures of the 10 smelting furnaces unearthed at the site (Figure 2), and conducts scientific analysis of smelting remains such as unearthed ores and slags (Figure 3). According to the dating of charcoal samples from the filling soil in the L2 furnace and the scientific analysis results of smelting remains, the Chadiping site is a pig iron smelting site from the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty. The specifications of the smelting furnaces found at the site are smaller than those found in Sichuan during the same period. Hematite was used as raw material and charcoal was used as fuel to smelt pig iron. The ore should have undergone a beneficiation process before being put into the furnace. No casting molds of any material were found at the Chadiping site and surrounding areas, indicating that the main function of the site may be to smelt primary materials such as iron ingots for supply to the surrounding areas. The discovery and excavation of this site is the first archaeological evidence related to iron smelting found in southeastern Chongqing, providing important empirical evidence for subsequent research on ancient iron smelting technology and the development of the iron industry in the Chongqing area.

Figure 2 L1 furnace at the Chadiping site

Figure 3 Smelting-related relics unearthed at the Chadiping site

Written by Sun Tianqiang

Edited by He Qingyuan

Reviewed by Wang Yu, Du Zhanwei, Yang Feng