The Jinan Daxinzhuang Unearthed Oracle Bones Attack Governance Research

Preparation method for oracle bones is an understudied subject in Shang archaeology. Daxinzhuang was an important Shang site in the Shandong region, characterized by a long and continuous occupation history, cultural rich deposit, and abundant discovery of oracle bones. An investigation of the preparation method of the oracle bones would contribute to our understanding of the nature of the site and the regional characteristics of the Shang culture. Based on an analysis on the preparation method, this paper presents a typology for the oracle bones from the 2003 season excavation at the Daxinzhuang site, which is followed by a comparative study with oracle bones from other Shang sites in Shandong, Central Plain, and Hebei regions.The paper consisted four sections. First, I present a comprehensive review of previous studies on the preparation of oracle bones. Second, I present a typology of drilling-and-hollowing method of oracle bones and plastrons based on specimens from the 2003 excavation, which were dated to archaeological phases established on the basis of ceramics and stratigraphy. The third section discusses the species identification and the potential sources for bone material, followed by a systematic discussion on the technological characteristics of the bone preparation. The last section presents a comparative study of Daxinzhuang specimens with those from contemporaneous sites in the Shandong region and in the Central Plain, which was the core region of the Shang state. I place emphasis on the site of Gaochengtaixi in Hebei, which represents a Shang regional settlement of a similar nature. The comparison places the Daxinzhuang material in the spatial and social context of diverse Shang settlements, which sheds light on our understanding of the status and nature of this important settlement in eastern China.