Characterization of Adhesive on Jade‐Inlaid Bronzewares at the Dayuanzi Cemetery, Southwest China During the Late Bronze Age

ABSTRACT The jade inlays on bronze artifacts were popular in southwest China during the late Bronze Age. However, the identification of the adhesives employed is limited. At the Dayuanzi Cemetery, located in Shizong county, there are many bronze bracelets and decorative buttons inlaid with numerous small malachite beads and/or white agate. In this study, black and white adhesive samples were collected from 18 bronzeware and characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Plant white wax from Chinese tallow tree seeds is also analyzed for comparison. The results reveal that the black adhesives are mainly made of drying oils, and the white adhesives should be a kind of insect white wax, but not traditional Chinese wax. This finding is the earliest chemical evidence of exploiting insect white wax in China. This study provides essential background information and a foundational understanding of bronze decoration craftsmanship and contributes to future preservation and restoration efforts.