臺灣地區於新石器時代晚期在北部、西南部以及東南部沿海地區出現少量銅器；金屬器時代早期，出土的銅器數量大幅增加，但仍侷限於北部與東部地區。這些年代較早的銅器來源，部分可以比定為源自中國大陸，但大多數銅器尚難具體比對其來源地。金屬器時代早期在東南沿海地區出現鑄銅作坊，生產如人形柄器、鈴形器、耳飾、斧錛形論等器物，部分產品並流通於北部沿海地區以及南部山區早期先住民社會。此一鑄銅技術採取石範鑄造，工藝類型接近大陸東南亞地區的鑄銅傳統。鑄造銅器所需的金屬原料，主要來自島外，而非來自島內先住民自行採煉的金屬礦產。其可能來源為：貿易交換、偶然的船難以及其他銅質器物或廢料的再利用，尤其是中國銅幣。進入歷史時代，在當時國際貿易市場流通的金屬錠應是主要的鑄銅原料。

A small number of copper-based artifacts from the Late Neolithic context are found in the northern, southwestern and southeastern coastal areas of Taiwan. The amount of copper-based artifacts found in early Metal Age, is much greater, but still restricted within Taiwan's northern and southeastern regions. Some of the discoveries from these early periods may have originated in mainland China, but there is no way to determine the specific sources of most of the objects. During the early Metal Age, foundry with stone molds, bronze objects, copper and iron slag, and other remains related to pyrotechnology are recovered from the Jiuxianglan site, in southeastern Taiwan. Objects cast in this foundry include axes/adzes, bell-shaped items, ear pendants, and anthropomorphic handles for edged weapons. Some of the product Cast in the foundry, especially the last kind, also found their way into the northern coastal and southern mountainous regions of Taiwan. The stone mold technology used in the foundry is related to the bronze casting tradition found in mainland Southeast Asia. The raw materials used in the Jiuxianglan foundry was mainly derived from sources off the island, including trade commodities, items recovered from shipwrecks, and materials recycled from other copper-based objects and scrap metals, especially Chinese money. During Taiwan's historic period, metals derived from trade were the primary sources for raw materials used in casting activities.