SAGA, JAPAN—Kyodo News reports that two stone molds that may have been used to cast bronze swords and spears have been discovered on the island of Kyushu in Yoshinogari Historical Park, a large Yayoi archaeological site dated from the third century B.C. to the third century A.D. One of the molds, which were made of serpentinite and quartz-porphyry, is estimated to date to as early as 200 B.C. Archaeologist Chuhei Takashima said that this mold technology may have originated on the Korean Peninsula. A pottery fragment found nearby may have been part of a vessel used to hold molten metal. The artifacts were discovered in the area of a stone coffin, but researchers have not yet found any bones or other artifacts to help them identify the individual who was buried in it. To read about processes for producing bronze in ancient China, go to "(Un)following the Recipe."
