This book is printed in Japanese, but has an extensive summary in English (56 pp), and the 66 photographic figures are labelled in both languages. Chapter titles: Introduction; The Copper Age and Its Transitional Period To The Bronze Age in Ancient China; The Bronze Age in Ancient China; Metallic Currencies (Coinage) In Ancient China; The Iron Age and Its Period of Transition From The Bronze Age; The Ancient Metallic Culture in the Iran District; Conclusion. The author includes 160 analyses of objects, the majority of which were carried out under his supervision at Tokyo Imperial University. He holds that a copper age preceeded the Bronze Age in China, that the recipes in the K'ao Kung Ch'i of tbe Ch'ou-li are substantially correct, that the coloured flame reaction was used by the ancient founders for ascertaining the temperature of the melt, and that early bronzes contain more lead than later bronzes in China (with certain exceptions). Many metallographs are included in the plates. -- AATA