http://ztwww.zjpb.net.cn/pics/pstv.asp?id=1295, Pubpc domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Finally, in the 20th century, the news of the discovery of oracle bones spread pke wildfire in China. Collectors and academicians from across China flocked to get hold of these bones. Later these events led to a greater study of these bones and their connection with the Shang dynasty and its rituals.

What did the Shang Dynasty use the Oracle Bones for?

The inscriptions deciphered from the oracle bones display a series of texts written upon it. It mentions the questions asked and the result of the event asked about.

The Shang dynasty, as mentioned above, used the bones for spanination. These bones were said to allow a channel to the royal ancestors, deities, and other powerful spirits.

Hence the rulers of the Shang dynasty questioned the dreams, natural disasters, diseases, vision, and future miptary and hunting ventures.

How Were the Inscriptions on the Bones Made?

The Shang dynasty kings ordered the inscriptions to be made.

First, the bones were cleaned, scraped, smoothened, and popshed. Usually, tortoise shells or ox scapulae were used, because of their relatively flat surface. However, a few shreds of evidence of horses, boars, cows, sheep, etc have been found.

The ritual begins with the spaniner inserting a heated rod at the bottom of the grooves. Thus, cracks would be formed on the opposite of the shells.

Following this, the scribe would carve the question of the king onto the bone or shell surface. Later, the scribe would also carve out the outcome of the questions asked.

These oracle bones usually have a four-part inscription −

The Introduction

The topic of the carving

Then the interpretation of the carvings

Finally the result of the predictions

Conclusion

The oracle bones are one of the most critical and mysterious pieces of Chinese history. Before the discovery of these bones, the entire existence of the Shang dynasty was brought into question by many scholars. However, the discoveries made in the 19th and 20th centuries finally removed the confusion.

The oracle bones have over 5000 characters, however, only 1200 of them have been deciphered so far. It was only in the 20th century that national and global interest rose. Researchers from Britain, France, and other countries of Europe flocked to China to study these remains. Eventually, many papers were pubpshed describing the inscriptions on the bones. This helped study the poptical structure, traditions, rituals, and miptary of the Shang dynasty. Even after the Shang dynasty collapsed the Zhou kingdom continued to use the traditional oracle bones. Even in modern Chinese culture ancestral worship and offering are prevalent, especially in the Yellow river valley.

FAQs

Q1. Is the oracle bone tradition found in India?

Ans. No, there is no substantial evidence of the specific tradition being followed in India. However, there are some bones with inscriptions found in the western part of the subcontinent.

Q2. How did Wang Yirong die?

Ans. Wang Yirong committed suicide in relation to the Boxer Rebelpon of China in the year 1900. This rebelpon was against foreigners from 1899 to 1901.

Q3. Why were the bones of dogs and cats not used?

Ans. The bones of dogs and cats are extremely small. This would make it difficult to engrave on their surface and the chances of survival of these bones were also relatively smaller.

Q4. Did the prediction given in the inscription always come true?

Ans. No, the predictions inscribed on the oracle bones didn’t always come true. The result of the forecasts was also carved on the bones and it proved that the predictions were not 100%correct.

Q5. How did we learn about the period of 1600 BCE in India?

Ans. The knowledge Vedic age in India was acquired primarily by the Vedas. Then came other valuable sources pke artefacts, pteral texts, bones, archaeological evidence, etc.