Urban civilization
Bronze metallurgy
Enormous tombs with human sacrifices
Horse-drawn chariots
Mature writing system
“Great Settlement Shang” of oracle bones
50 large buildings (Map in Li Feng, p. 70)
Artisan’s workshops
Semi-subterranean farmers’ houses
Wagon invented in W. Asia, ca. 3300-3100 BCE
Wagon tracks discovered at Chinese Erlitou sites
Dated ca. 1900-1600 BCE
Pulled by ox or person?
*Chariot and horse domestication in Inner Asia
Invented, ca. 2100 BCE
Andronovo spread widely by 1500 BCE
Fortified settlements
Agro-pastoral economy
Bronze
chariot
34 kg (1/20th weight of war cart)
Narrow gauge
8-12 spokes
Military values: Speed, Frees hands
Route of transmission east to Shang is unknown
Closest sites in modern Xinjiang
Appears at Anyang fully formed with horses, 1200 BCE
Resembles Inner Eurasian chariots
18-26 spokes
Axle under middle of box
Prestige vehicle in Shang times, ca. 1200 BCE
Modern analogy: Rolls Royce
Cow scapula
Turtle plastron
What was the purpose of this writing?
How did the Shang kings and priests practice divination?
Enormous increase in output
"Mother Wu" Cauldron is largest, 875 kg, ca. 1200 BCE (Li Feng p. 79)
Casting method (Hansen, p. 33)
Ceremonial vessels
Animal motifs (Vessels from Lady Hao’s tomb in Hansen, p. 32, Li Feng, p. 76)
Taotie face (Li Feng, p. 77)
Rare humans
Vessel found in Hunan (Hansen, p. 27)
Weapons, instruments, chariot fittings
Cemetery (Map in Li Feng, p. 72)
Massive Pit Tombs
Satellite graves
Human and animal sacrifices
Vertical pits with 1-4 ramps
Wooden structure at pit bottom
Human and animal sacrifices
Death attendants
*Lady Hao's tomb, ca. 1200 BCE
Wife of King Wu Ding
Buried under temple in palace area
755 jade objects
468 bronze objects
63 stone objects
5 ivory objects
564 bone objects
11 pottery objects
6,900 pieces of cowry shell