四把劍的故事──仿青銅器的技術評估

A Story of Four Swords: A Technical Evaluation of Counterfeit Bronzes

本論文主要以低功率光學顯微鏡與X-光螢光分析(XRF)來分析4支「古代」中國青銅劍。4支古劍皆呈現銅綠色與輕微腐蝕情況，且皆具有白色金屬的鑲嵌圖案，其中2支劍是完好的，然從另外2支破損劍把處測得之塊狀金屬與表面所呈現的銅綠是相同。這些劍並跟真正古代的2種青銅武器的斷片做比對，再透過普通光源、偏振光以及掃描式電子(SEM)等顯微鏡來進行金相檢測，結果顯示這4支古劍皆為現代仿製品，其鑲嵌並非真正的鑲嵌，事實上僅是由成分相同的塊狀金屬劍器所製成。文中將基於顯微鏡檢測結果來解釋這些仿製品可能的製作方式。

Four“ancient”Chinese bronze swords were examined using low-power light microscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). All four of the swords were patinated and slightly corroded and they all appeared to have an inlayed pattern in a white metal. Two of the swords were intact but two had broken handles allowing examination of the bulk metal as well as the patinated outer surfaces. These swords were then compared with fragments of two archaeological bronze weapons of genuine antiquity. These latter were examined metallographically using plain and polarized light, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the four“ancient”swords were modern counterfeits and that the“inlay”was not inlay at all but in fact had the same composition as the bulk metal the swords were cast from. Based on microscopic examination of the pattern a suggested mechanism for the production of these swords is presented.