Scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty Go pieces excavated from the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang

doi:10.1038/s40494-025-01634-w

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	Scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty Go pieces excavated from the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang
	An, Yu 1,2; Wang, Yongqiang 3; Luo, Wugan 1,2; Chen, Dian 1,2
	2025-02-28
发表期刊	NPJ HERITAGE SCIENCE
卷号	13 期号:1 页码:11
通讯作者	Luo, Wugan(xiahua@ucas.ac.cn) ; Chen, Dian(chendian@ucas.ac.cn)
摘要	Go is an ancient game that originated in China over two millennia ago, achieving widespread popularity and codified rules during the Tang Dynasty. Numerous Go artifacts have been unearthed, but the classification of these Go pieces has often been based on visual inspection alone, leading to a significant accumulation of errors and misleading subsequent scholars who attempted more detailed analyses. This study employs various technical methods to establish a scientific research standard. Specifically, we selected Go pieces excavated from a Tang Dynasty tomb at the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang. First, digital microscopy was used to assess their dimensions and appearance. A comparative analysis with other well-documented Tang Dynasty Go pieces revealed that the Lafuqueke pieces are smaller in size but closely resemble those found in regions like Dunhuang. Their shape is biconvex, aligning with the standard shape that emerged during the Tang Dynasty, where at least one side of the Go pieces is convex. Subsequently, through the application of Raman spectroscopy, XRD, XRF, and SEM analysis, it was determined that the black Go pieces are primarily composed of clinochlore, while the white pieces consist mainly of calcite. These findings suggest that the raw materials used to produce these Go pieces likely originated from the Qilian Mountain region near Dunhuang, a theory supported by historical records highlighting Dunhuang's role in supplying Go pieces to the imperial court. By integrating mineralogical data with historical context, this study provides new insights into the production and distribution of Tang Dynasty Go pieces, emphasizing the intersection of cultural history and scientific inquiry. This research not only reveals the material composition of these artifacts but also raises broader questions about the logistics, trade networks, and regional specialization that underpinned the manufacture of cultural items in ancient China.
DOI	10.1038/s40494-025-01634-w
关键词[WOS]	CHLORITES ; XRD
收录类别	SCI
语种	英语
资助项目	National Social Science Fund of China[20VJXG018] ; National Social Science Fund of China[23BKG020] ; National Social Science Foundation of China[21DTR046] ; Beijing Municipal Social Science Foundation[2021M703163] ; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation ; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
项目资助者	National Social Science Fund of China ; National Social Science Foundation of China ; Beijing Municipal Social Science Foundation ; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation ; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
WOS研究方向	Arts & Humanities - Other Topics ; Chemistry ; Materials Science ; Spectroscopy
WOS类目	Humanities, Multidisciplinary ; Chemistry, Analytical ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary ; Spectroscopy
WOS记录号	WOS:001434435300001
出版者	SPRINGER
引用统计
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.205/handle/311034/24316
专题	中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所
通讯作者	Luo, Wugan; Chen, Dian
作者单位	1.Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Vertebrate Paleontol & Paleoanthropol, Key Lab Vertebrate Evolut & Human Origin, Beijing, Peoples R China 2.Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Dept Archaeol & Anthropol, Beijing, Peoples R China 3.Xinjiang Inst Archaeol & Cultural Rel, Urumqi, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	An, Yu,Wang, Yongqiang,Luo, Wugan,et al. Scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty Go pieces excavated from the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang[J]. NPJ HERITAGE SCIENCE,2025,13(1):11.
APA	An, Yu,Wang, Yongqiang,Luo, Wugan,&Chen, Dian.(2025).Scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty Go pieces excavated from the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang.NPJ HERITAGE SCIENCE,13(1),11.
MLA	An, Yu,et al."Scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty Go pieces excavated from the Lafuqueke Cemetery in Xinjiang".NPJ HERITAGE SCIENCE 13.1(2025):11.