The Chinese ancient bronze mirrors have been studied using

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Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is found that tin is in the state of Sn

4+

oxide in the surface of bronze mirror and Cu-Sn-Pb alloy state in the interior body. It is unlikely that the form of tin existing in the surface of bronze mirror has certain relations with the existance of the shiny black surface.

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Sn conversion electron Mössbauer measurements are also used to investigate the variation of relative amounts between the two tin-containing components with the depth from the surface. It is gradually changed from Sn

4+

oxide in the surface to Cu-Sn-Pb alloy in the interior. But the variation rate of the ratio between the relative amounts of the two components is not constant.