2.  The Shang-dynasty Royal Tombs at Anyang

concept: sign

Shang Dynasty c. 1500-c. 1050

Anyang 安阳, Henan province 河南省:   site of eleven Shang-dynasty tombs excavated starting in 1928

oracle bones

• oracle bone inscriptions (jiagu wen 甲骨文):   inscriptions cut into turtle shells and ox shoulder blades as part of late Shang divination
• Di 帝 : high god, god on high, named on the oracle bone inscriptions

Fu Hao 妇好, companion to King Wu Ding 武丁 (d. c. 1200).   Intact grave excavated in 1976.

piece-mold casting:   a technique of bronze casting using several outer mold segments with an inner core

Bronze vessel types and functions

• jue 爵 pouring cup (fig. 2-13)
• gu 觚    goblet (often found in pairs with the jue;   in Fu Hao's tomb, for example, 50 pairs of jue and gu were discovered)
• ding 鼎 used for cooking stews
• gui 簋   grain-serving bowls (fig. 2-19, 2-20)

Vessel Decor:   A Story of Increasing Elaboration

1. Xia 夏 (Erlitou 二里頭).   Simple forms (fig. 2-13)

2. early Shang (Erligang 二里崗).   Parts of the vessels are common property--they are used interchangeably.   One or more bands of decoration.   Use of thin relief lines and wide ribbons.   Innovation:   a large ding or square ding (fang ding 方鼎) which may have been used in sacrificial offerings. (fig. 2-14, 2-15)

3. Transitional period.   Addition of registers.   Surface of vessel fully worked. (fig. 2-16)

4. Anyang stage (Yinxu phase 殷墟).   Example of vessels from tomb of Fu Hao.   Square and rectangular sections.   Animal sculptures.   Composite vessels. (fig. 2-1, 2-17, 2-25)

Bronze motifs

• imaginary, animal-like zoomorphs:   TAOTIE 饕餮 “monster masks”
• motifs that may be read as animals
• human motifs