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What does writing from the Shang Dynasty look like?

Part of HistoryShang DynastyYear 3Year 4

Watch: Oracle bones

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What were oracle bones?

A historian digs up an oracle bone.
  • The oracle bone below was found in China over 100 years ago.
  • Historians realised that there are questions written on the bones.
  • Oracle bones like this one are about 3500 years old.
A historian digs up an oracle bone.
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What do we know about oracle bones?

A cartoon of a hand holding an oracle bone.
  • The writing on the oracle bones is the first form of Chinese writing.
  • They tell us about the Shang dynasty rulers, the weather, battles, farming, births and deaths.
  • Oracle bones are made from ox bone and turtle shell.
A cartoon of a hand holding an oracle bone.
Someone hammering an oracle bone.

  • They were scraped and smoothed to make them easy to write on.

  • The Shang kings and priests (the diviners) would ask questions to the gods, by carving them on the bones.

Shang person writing on an oracle bone.
  • The bone was heated until it cracked. When this happened, the diviners used this to work out the answer.
Shang person writing on an oracle bone.
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Activities

Activity 1: Shang writing

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Activity 2: Oracle bones quiz

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Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History

Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade
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