A study now going on at Columbia University supported by the Sackler Fund entails a collection of (1) Eurasian animal-style material; (2) Chinese ritual bronze vessels, (3) Chinese archaic carved jade, (4) Chinese bronze-age weapons, tools and miscellaneous metal artifacts, (5) ancient Chinese coins (Han or earlier), (6) ancient Chinese ceramics (neolithic to Han), (7) Chinese stone sculpture (Han through Tang) and (8) Luristan bronzes and ceramics. These objects are being subjected to chemical, spectrochemical, and metallographic analysis to secure data which it is hoped will throw light on (a) the origin of bronze casting in China, (b) the source and route of introduction of certain western elements in middle Chou weapons, tools, and decorative objects, (c) the source and extent of the Pontic migration and (d) indications of trade relations between China and the West in the second and first millemia B.C. -- AATA