Shang Dynasty
China's first oracle bones
01
From Legend to History
the Shang emerge from myth — Erligang cities and early bronze
~1600-1400 BCE
02
The Oracle Bones
inscribed turtle shells and ox bones become China's first written records
~1400-1200 BCE
03
The Bronze Kings
ritual vessels, human sacrifice, and the most sophisticated bronze in the world
Bronze culture
04
Fu Hao: Warrior Queen
a royal consort who led armies and had her own oracle bone archive
~1250-? BCE
05
Gods, Ancestors, and Bones
ancestor worship, Di the high god, and divination as statecraft
Religion
06
The Shang World
farmers, craftsmen, and the daily rhythms of Shang society
Daily life and trade
07
Sanxingdui: The Mystery Next Door
a contemporary bronze culture in Sichuan that nobody expected
~1200-1050 BCE
08
The Fall of the Shang
King Wu's rebellion, the Battle of Muye, and the Mandate of Heaven
~1100-1046 BCE