Archaeology of the Shang Dynasty

The Three Dynasties of the Chinese Empire

Xia c. 2100-1600 BCE

Shang c. 1600-1050 BCE

Zhou c. 1000-256 BCE

History of The Shang Dynasty

The Shang was the second hereditary dynasty in China.

It lasted almost six hundred years with thirty-one kings over seventeen generations.

Shang used to be an old tribe who lived in the lower reach of the Yellow River. It was a tributary of the Xia Kingdom

Geography & Territory of the Shang

According to Zhou-era traditional texts, the city of Anyang in northern Henan province was the preeminent Shang capital, center of a territory ruled by one dominant royal house.

The city served as the ritual capital of the last nine Shang kings, from Wu Ding (21st king, c1200-1181 BCE) to Di Xin (29th king, c. 1085-1045 BCE).

Geography & Territory of the Shang Cont’d

Fu Hao’s Tomb

Anyang is also an important site because of the tomb of Fu Hao, royal consort of Wu Ding.

Fu Hao's is the only unlooted royal tomb and the only one conclusively identified with a person named in ancient texts.

Findings from Fu Hao’s Tomb

468 bronze objects including 130 weapons, 23 bells, 27 knives, 4 mirrors, and 4 tigers or tiger heads

755 jade objects 63 stone objects 5 ivory objects 564 bone objects including

nearly 500 bone hairpins and over 20 bone arrowheads

11 pottery objects 6,900 pieces of cowry shell

Ivory beaker with turquoiseFrom the tomb of the Shang dynasty queen Fu

Hao, c, 1200 BCE.http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/archae/2fuhmain.htm

Findings from Fu Hao’s Tomb Cont’d

Bronze Pieces from Fu Hao

Bronze Ding vessel       Height: 80.1cm, Weight: 128kg

Bronze Ax                                                                         

Bronze Pieces from Fu Hao

Covered container     Height: 60cm, Length: 88cm,                         

Drinking vessel                           Wine vessel     Height: 46.3cm, Weight: 16kg     

http://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/bronzesproject/html/bklynmuse.htm

Ancient Sichuan - Treasures From a Lost Civilization

In 1928, discoveries of ancient bronzes were made at Anyang. These finds supported the account of early Chinese histories as recorded in early texts. These writings portrayed the early Chinese civilization as culturally homogeneous -- strong and prosperous and extending its sphere of influence outward to encompass an ever-larger area of 'the world.'

http://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/bronzesproject/html/upcoming.htm

Oracle Bones

bones used for divination by the Chinese during the Shang dynasty (traditionally c.1766 B.C.–c.1122 B.C.)

Along with contemporary inscriptions on bronze vessels, these records of divination, which were incised on the shoulder blades of animals (mainly oxen) and on turtle shells, contain the earliest form of Chinese writing.

In addition to being an important source for understanding the development of written Chinese, they tell a great deal about Shang society.

http://www.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/uclib/bones/ob01.htm

Neat Sites of Current Research &Findings

http://www.rom.on.ca/pub/shang/shango.html

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-11/11/content_280475.htm

http://www.archaeology.org/0005/newsbriefs/shang.html

BIBLIOGRAPHY

RESENT DISCOVERIEShttp://www.archaeology.org/0005/newsbriefs/shang.htmlBEST LINKhttp://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/bronzesproject/html/history.htmGENERAL INFORMATION SITEShttp://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/shang/index.htmhttp://www.wisc.edu/arth/ah370/ah370s2.htmlhttp://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Archaeology/96935.htmhttp://www.humanities-interactive.org/ancient/bronze/brochure_bronze_age.htmhttp://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/history.htmhttp://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/China/Shang.Chron.htmlhttp://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0307/feature3/ http://www.tpt.org/china/bronze2.htmlhttp://www.nga.gov/education/chinatp_pt2.shtmhttp://www.art-and-archaeology.com/timelines/china/shang.htmlORACLE BONE SITEhttp://www.bartleby.com/65/or/oraclebo.htmlhttp://www.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/uclib/bones/bones.htmhttp://www.mirabilis.ca/archives/000656.html

BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTINUED

General Image Linkshttp://www.mythofcreation.co.uk/image_pages/mirror.htmFU  HAO'S TOMB SITEhttp://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/archae/2fuhmain.htmGeneral FactsMirrors appeared in Shang China and in Mycenaean Greece, about thesame time periodMAPS/GEOGRAPHYhttp://www.artsmia.org/arts-of-asia/china/maps/shang-map.cfmhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/images/chinam.jpghttp://www.library.utoronto.ca/east/students02/hoi_wan_lai/ancientm.gifhttp://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/china1999/compfig/map2.pdfErlitou Ruinshttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-11/11/content_280475.htmSICHUANhttp://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/bronzesproject/html/upcoming.htmhttp://metmuseum.org/special/Sichuan/treasure_images.htmVessel Imageshttp://www.marymount.k12.ny.us/marynet/TeacherResources/bronzesproject/html/bklynmuse.htmWar Chariot Recreationhttp://www.rom.on.ca/pub/shang/shango.html