YOSHINOGARI, Saga Prefecture--Two molds for bronze artifacts, possibly the oldest in Japan, have been discovered in the “mystery area” of an ancient site here, the prefectural government reported.

Using this initial mold, bronze sculptors like Fry create a final, heatproof mold using the 'lost wax' technique. "They put that in a big kiln, and they melt all the wax out," Fry said. "It's like a ...