A large-scale iron-working foundry from the Warring States period has been excavated in Sichuan Province, China. Spanning over 5,000 square meters, the facility includes dozens of blast furnaces and casting pits specifically designed for the production of advanced agricultural implements, such as iron-tipped plows and irrigation shovels.
The discovery highlights the industrial scale of food production during this volatile era of Chinese history. Archaeologists found standardized molds that indicate a high degree of mass production, likely commissioned by the state of Shu to increase agricultural yields and support a growing military population. The foundry's proximity to a local coal source suggests an early mastery of high-temperature mineral fuel usage.
Professor Zhang Wei stated that this site represents a 'technological leap' in ancient Chinese metallurgy. The precision of the molds used for the plowshares reveals that the craftsmen had a sophisticated understanding of both carbon content and aerodynamics in tool design to improve soil penetration.