RADIOCARBON DATING OF ORACLE BONES OF LATE SHANG PERIOD IN ANCIENT CHINA

Oracle bone script developed into a sophisticated writing system in Shang Dynasty of China more than 3000 years ago. The systematic scientific dating of oracle bones had not been previously reported. Here we present radiocarbon (14C) dates measured from the sequential samples of oracle bones that pe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRadiocarbon Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 155 - 175
Main Authors Liu, Kexin, Wu, Xiaohong, Guo, Zhiyu, Yuan, Sixun, Ding, Xingfang, Fu, Dongpo, Pan, Yan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.02.2021
Subjects
Bones
Calendars
Inscriptions
Li Xueqin
Names
Radiometric dating
Wu Yi
China
radiocarbon age calibration
oracle bones
Shang Dynasty
radiocarbon dating
China
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Summary:Oracle bone script developed into a sophisticated writing system in Shang Dynasty of China more than 3000 years ago. The systematic scientific dating of oracle bones had not been previously reported. Here we present radiocarbon (14C) dates measured from the sequential samples of oracle bones that pertain to the Shang kings. The results indicate that King Wu Ding (who is called Wu Ting in some literature) reigned during 1254 BC to 1197 BC, and the Shang Dynasty terminated around 1041 BC. It also points that the Li group in the sequence of oracle bones is most probably related to the time of King Wu Ding and Zu Geng.
ISSN:0033-8222
1945-5755
DOI:10.1017/RDC.2020.90