<p>This study examines the alloy compositions, production techniques, and lead isotopic signatures of 18 bronze artifacts excavated from the Taofang cemetery in Taoyuan County, Hunan Province, dated to the middle to late Warring States period (391–221 BCE). The analysis reveals that all 12 bronze swords of the Xiangxi-type and 6 Chu-style bronze items were cast rather than forged and made from lead-tin bronze or tin bronze alloys. No evidence of post-casting treatments such as hammering or annealing is present. Although the compositions of these alloys are not culturally distinctive, they do serve the practical requirements. Lead isotope analysis indicates that the raw materials were derived from polymetallic ore sources, potentially from southern Hunan, northern Guangdong, or western Henan. Some Xiangxi-type swords appear to have been produced using mixed ores from two different regions. Comparison of the grouping of the lead isotope data for the Xiangxi-type swords with Chu-style artifacts from the same period suggests a similar production background, which suggests that these swords were produced with ores commonly used in bronze casting workshops under the control of the Chu state. Given the Chu’s strict administrative control over bronze craftsmanship, the production and distribution of the Xiangxi-type swords were likely managed by the Chu authorities. These swords may have served as political tools for consolidating regional alliances and extending Chu’s influence in Xiangxi region (the western part of Hunan Province). This study not only fills the gap in the archaeometallurgical research of Xiangxi-type bronze swords but also deepens our understanding of the regional bronze traditions in Xiangxi region. Furthermore, it offers new insights into the socio-political relationships between the Chu state and local indigenous communities during the Warring States period (476 − 221 BCE).</p>