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Oracle bone facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Chinese oracle bone (16th-10th C BC) - BL Or. 7694
Holes drilled into an oracle bone

Oracle Bones were ox scapula or turtle plastron bones that the Chinese would carve or scratch their questions on. Then the priests would burn the oracle bone until it would crack. Then the priest read these cracks to the Chinese people for their answer. The Chinese people believed their answers were from the gods. This was also known as the first stages of Chinese writing. These were very important to the Chinese.

Images for kids

  • Wang Yirong

    Wang Yirong, Chinese politician and scholar, was the first to recognize the oracle bones as ancient writing.

  • Oracle bones pit

    Oracle bone pit at Yinxu, Anyang

  • Shang dynasty inscribed scapula

    Ox scapula recording divinations by Zhēng 爭 in the reign of King Wu Ding

  • Shang dynasty inscribed tortoise plastron

    Tortoise plastron with divination inscription

  • CMOC Treasures of Ancient China exhibit - oracle bone inscription

    In this Shang dynasty oracle bone (which is incomplete), a diviner asks the Shang king if there would be misfortune over the next ten days; the king replied that he had consulted the ancestor Xiaojia in a worship ceremony.

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