UCLA/Getty Program Welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Pujun Jin

The UCLA/Getty Conservation Program welcomes visiting scholar Dr. Pujun Jin, who will be with us through November 2016.  During his time here, he will be working Dr. David Scott examining ancient Chinese bronzes. Dr. Jin joins us from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, China.  He received his Ph.D. in Scientific History and Archaeometry from the University of Science and Technology of China. His current research focuses on the metallurgical examination of artifacts excavated from the site of Sanxidui dating to the Shang Dynasty.  He is also studying the lost-wax technique used to cast a bronze mou (cooking vessel) from the Ba Culture and the corrosion and conservation of ancient Chinese plated bronzes.

UCLA/Getty Program Welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Guofeng Wei

The UCLA/Getty Program welcomes visiting scholar Dr. Guofeng Wei, who will be working with us through January 2016. Dr. Wei comes to us from the Department of History, Anhui University, China.  He received his Ph.D. in Scientific History and Archaeometry from the University of Science and Technology of China. His current research focuses on the recipes and crafts of historical lime mortars of China, as well as a study on the application of traditional stick rice-lime mortar in conservation of cultural relics.  More recently, he carried out research studying the trace element characteristics of copper prills in slag from Tangjidun sites of copper smelting dating back to the late Shang Dynasty (ca. 1300 BC) in Anhui Province.  In addition he is studying the casting technology of bronze vessels dating from the late Shang Dynasty to Spring and Autumn Period (ca. 1300BC – 470 BC) from Zongyang County.

Dr. Wei will be providing lectures for some of our programs courses, as well as conducting his own research while he’s here.  He is currently giving two lectures on ancient metallurgy and metal casting in the course Conservation Laboratory: Metals II  (CAEM 239).

Hammering Away in L.A.

On Tuesday, Professor Scott took us on a field trip to visit Dr. Arik Greenberg’s metal studio. Dr. Greenberg is a lecturer of Greco-Roman history and religion and has been involved with the Legion Six Historical Foundation, Inc. and the development of the Museum of the Ancient Roman Soldier.

Dr. Greenberg first gave us a presentation on Greco-Roman armor and weaponry.

We dressed Tom McClintock up as a soldier with replica armor, a shield, and a sword.

Dr. Greenberg then gave us a demonstration on the manufacturing of ancient copper helmets and iron swords, showing us different blacksmith forging techniques.

We then had the opportunity to work our own copper sheets into a bowls, which involved annealing and hammering. Lesley Day (left image) cools the metal she is working after annealing. Betsy Burr and Lesley (central image) hammer their copper sheets into shape. And Tom (right image) anneals his copper sheet.

The field trip was part of the course we are taking this quarter on the Technology and Deterioration of Metals (CAEM 263). Not only was our visit to Dr. Greenberg’s metal studio fun, but seeing how metals are worked, and trying our hand at making copper bowls, will help us better understand how the copper alloy objects we’re examining this quarter (and treating next quarter) were made.

I’ll end this post with the words of MC Hammer, because for us in the metal’s studio, it was definitely “Hammer Time”.

William Shelley (’16)

Conservation Program Welcomes Visiting Students from China

In January, the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program welcomed two visiting students from China.  Yali Yun and Jianxi Li, two doctoral candidates at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, will be conducting research for their dissertations on ancient metals and be working with Dr. David Scott.

Yali Yun

Yali Yun’s research focus is on technical studies of ancient metal in Western Dian (Yunnan) China. She is also interested in researching methods used in Chinese traditional art and crafts.

Jianxi Li

Jianxi is focusing his research on the early metallurgy of central China. He is also interested in ancient Chinese inscriptions and texts which refer to metals and metallurgical practices.

Both Yali and Jianxi will be working with Dr. Scott until June examining and analyzing samples they brought for their dissertation research. They will also be sitting in on conservation classes offered in the winter and spring quarters