Oracle Bones ()

The Archaeology and Pyromantic Ritual of Ancient China

This site examines the importance of the oracle bones used by Shang dynasty diviners and kings, the role the inscriptions found on the bones have played in understanding the Shang dynasty, and the role that oracle bone divination played in a culture where the proper rituals and sacrifices to the exalted ancestors of the king and the nobles was of paramount importance...












Above: an inscribed turtle plastron
from An-yang. Such artifacts have
yielded a wealth of information
about early Chinese civilization





                                                                                         
Clayton C. Bozeman
B.A. Anthropology, Cum Laude
University of South Florida
Email: cbozeman@mail.usf.edu
Site created October 2004; updated: July 31, 2010