A Study On The Animal Buried In The Western Zhou Dynasty

Animal burial is a common phenomenon in ancient tombs. From the New Stone Age archaeological remains had been buried animal phenomenon. The Animal’s Funerary System had developed in the period of Shang and West Zhou Dynasty, and then it formed its own discipline. Because the animals were buried in different forms and position, while the purpose and effect also quite different. Study animal burial customs also had a great contribution to observe the differences in culture and relationship between different regions.Previously the academic research on the unearthed animals in tombs was not paid enough attention, the research is often confined to a region or an animal, and also lack of overall regular classification and further research. With the archaeological discoveries of the funerary animals increased and animal archaeology has further researched, it provided the further impellent conditions.Therefore, this passage aims to integrate studies in the Shang and Zhou Dynasty about the burial animals, mainly from the three aspects of Shang and West Zhou Dynasty burial animal get into the research. First, it by one means of the basic archaeological typology, make overall arrangement and classification of the tombs in the Shang and West Zhou Dynasty, give the funerary animal a scientific summary, and it can help us to observe animal burial characteristics of combination and the development trend of the times. Second, this passage will analyze burial animals in the Shang and West Zhou Dynasty, and make sure what was it stands for. Third, this passage also will give an investigation repartition of each area in the Shang and West Zhou Dynasty, combined with the major archaeological discovery in the tomb with offerings, respectively, analysis of the characteristics of each region.Through the research, this passage found that Shang and West Zhou Dynasty funerary animal has certain rules. Funerary animal often as dogs, sheep, cattle, pigs, deer regularly, also can be found in fish and other animal. The animal’s position is varies at different times and regions, it is on behalf of the corresponding period and the corresponding regions of different culture and customs. This passage also has discussed the related problems about Animal burial phenomenon. Summarized and discussed the Animal burial phenomenon of different animal’s chooses and causes, it also explains some other problems, give animal sacrifice some specific concepts and explains.