The Shang Oracle Bones

What happened

Under the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), diviners inscribed questions to the gods and ancestors onto ox shoulder-blades and turtle shells, then applied heat until the bones cracked and read the answers in the fractures. The characters carved on these 'oracle bones' are the earliest known Chinese writing.

Why it matters

The oracle-bone script is the direct ancestor of the Chinese writing system used ever since, making Chinese one of the world's oldest continuously used scripts and the Shang the first Chinese dynasty confirmed by written records.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Oracle Bones · Reputable source