The Arrangement And Research Of Bronze Bow-shaped Fittings In Shang And Zhou Dynasties

The bow-shaped fittings first appeared in the second stage of the Yinxu culture,and it is a relatively special kind of bronze ware,which generally appears in the tombs of higher grades and the pits of carriages and horses.Once it appeared,it showed a relatively mature casting technology and decorative style.It was more abundant in the late Shang Dynasty and gradually disappeared after the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty.In the past,most of the academic research content on the bow-shaped fittings was single,and there were few analyses and comprehensive discussions on the quantity of the bow.Therefore,on the basis of the existing research results,it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the unearthed situation of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties bow-shaped fittings by region,stage and type,as well as a comprehensive discussion on their functions,sources and development.By sorting out the unearthed and collection of the bow-shaped fittings,a total of 211 pictures or detailed textual materials related to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties bow-shaped fittings have been collected.In terms of the existence time,the bow-shaped fittings that appeared from the second period of Yin Ruins to the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty can be divided into three periods.The early bow-shaped fittings contained elements of the northern grassland culture,and after the middle period,the influence of the local culture in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties increased;the complex shapes and pattern decorations in the early period were gradually simplified.In terms of geographical distribution,the bow-shaped fittings can be divided into six regions according to their excavation sites.It is found that the differences in the number,age and type of bow-shaped fittings in each region are closely related to political,military and other factors.Regarding the function of the bow-shaped fittings,there has been a lot of controversy in the academic circles for a long time.By comprehensively sorting out many research results of predecessors,combined with the characteristics of the burial and shape changes of the bow-shaped fittings,it is believed that the main function of the bow-shaped fittings is to serve as a safety hook when driving to protect the driver’s safety.After the Western Zhou Dynasty,with the decline of vehicle warfare and the improvement of safety facilities in driving,the role of the safety hook gradually weakened and was no longer needed by people,thus withdrawing from the stage of history.Regarding the origin and development of the bow-shaped fittings in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties,as well as the people who used them,it is believed that the bow-shaped fittings were a fusion of the elements of the Central Plains culture and the northern grassland culture popularly used by the Yin people in the late Shang Dynasty,and gradually declined during the Western Zhou Dynasty.The distribution and changes in Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties reflect the relationship between localities and the changes in the strength of political regime development.