New evidence of correlation between craftsmanship and provenance in early Chinese protoporcelain and hard pottery

A new analysis reveals significant compositional overlaps between protoporcelain and hard pottery from Yin Xu and Wenjiashan, suggesting shared provenance. This finding implies potential exchange of ceramics between the Xiang River basin and the Central Plains during the Shang period. Researchers used energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to analyze major and trace elements in 30 hard pottery samples from Wenjiashan and 29 from Yin Xu, comparing them with data from other Shang–Zhou period sites. Multivariate analysis highlighted regional differences in raw-material processing while confirming the correlation between craftsmanship and provenance.

Zou, G., Lv, J., Sheng, W., & He, Y. (2025). New evidence of correlation between craftsmanship and provenance in early Chinese protoporcelain and hard pottery. Npj Heritage Science, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-02122-x