Pottery molds are an important material in the study of bronze casting techniques at Yinxu, but they have not been studied enough. It is difficult to gain a comprehensive understanding of mold samples from the photographs in research books, and it is not easy for scholars to directly study the materials that have been made available in various collections. In particular, the molds in the Institute of History and Philology's collection are extremely valuable research material, dating from the middle and late Shang dynasties, which are the intermediate point for the technological innovation of pottery in the Shang dynasty. It is important to have a clearer grasp of these materials in order to improve our understanding of Shang dynasty casting techniques and even the bronze styles of the second and third phases of Yinxu. 

This project aims to improve our understanding of the pottery by using 3D scanning technology. Building on our previous project, where the initial arrangement, identification, and description of the pottery was completed, this project will select a number of larger pieces of representative cast pottery for 3D scanning and measurement. In order to study the pottery, it is necessary to handle it as an object in space. Making the pottery's 3D measurement data available will enable us to make more effective and detailed image presentations than with 2D measurement drawings or photographs alone. Utilizing these data files thereafter will also reduce future wear and tear on the original pottery, which will not only facilitate exchange between collections, but will also make it possible to conduct clear comparative studies between bronzes and pottery via 3D models, which is of great significance.  

In the future, we expect to collaborate with the Sen-oku Hakuko Kan Museum in Japan to restore the pottery and to showcase the production techniques of ancient Chinese bronzes through an exhibition. At present, we are planning to hold an exhibition of the pottery samples and restoration experiments at the Institute of History and Philology and the Sen-oku Hakuko Kan Museum, and to publish related catalogues and research books.