What is the written material of Oracle Bone Inscriptions?

Judging from the unearthed objects, tortoise shells and animal bones were mainly used as writing materials in Shang Dynasty. At that time, tortoiseshell was mostly produced in the south, and the princes presented it to the court as a tribute. Tortoise shells unearthed in Anyang are mostly found in the Yangtze River basin and southern coastal provinces. In addition, the Yin people used tortoise shells as writing materials, because tortoise shells had a wide and smooth surface for carving.

In addition, cow bones were also lettering materials at that time. At that time, cattle were not only the main farming tools, but also important sacrificial supplies. The Yin people used cows to sacrifice to the gods to avoid disasters, so they carved notes with the remaining cow bones.

Oracle Bone Inscriptions is an important divination tool. Before divination, people saw the tortoise shell and the shoulder blades of cattle neatly, and then drilled round deep nests and shallow grooves on the back of the Oracle bone. When divining, first pray for ghosts and gods to explain what you want to ask clearly, and then burn the deep pit or ditch edge to a certain extent with burning wooden branches, and cracks will appear in the corresponding parts of Oracle bones.

After cauterization, the fortune teller judges the quality and success of the matter according to the length, thickness, straightness and concealment of the crack. Then use a knife to carve the contents and results of divination near the divination. This kind of writing is Oracle Bone Inscriptions, or "Oracle Bone Inscriptions".

Oracle Bone Inscriptions was carved, and some were filled in with vermilion or black ink. Oracle Bone Inscriptions, the 23rd King of Shang Dynasty in Wuding period, was also decorated with turquoise.

oracle bone script