Dear Arch-metals,
There are several references in Chinese written sources to swords
which probably are damascene, but He Tangkun has just reported the
first actual examples, in the archaeological journal _Zhongyuan
wenwu_, 2001 no. 1, pp. 68-73.
He has found five in private collections which he does not identify.
He tentatively dates the swords to the Yuan period (1271-1368), but
please note that these things tend to be very difficult to date
securely.
He Tangkun gives three photographs, which I have scanned and placed
on the Web at this address:
http://staff.hum.ku.dk/dbwagner/stuff/HeTangkun.jpg
I would be very interested in hearing the comments of experts on
patterned steel - do these look like the things you otherwise have
seen, or do they suggest differences in technique?
If for some reason you can't access the scanned photograph, let me
know and I will send it to you as an attachment.
Regards,
Don Wagner
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dr.phil. Donald B. Wagner
Senior Research Fellow
Nordic Institute of Asian Studies
Leifsgade 33
DK-2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
tel. +45-3254 8844 or direct +45-3254 1524-208
fax +45-3296 2530
http://staff.hum.ku.dk/dbwagner
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If that doesn't work try: <[log in to unmask]>
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