China

Shang Dynasty

The first historically recorded civilization in China, existing from 1600-1046 BCE, primarily in the Huanghe River basin.

Oracle Bones

Animal or turtle bones used for divination rituals, inscribed with questions and interpreted by Shang rulers as messages from ancestors.

Yin

The last capital of the Shang Dynasty, important archaeological site known for its large ceremonial and administrative center.

Feudalism

A hierarchical system of societal organization in which land and power were held by a monarch and granted to nobles, common during the Shang period.

Ancestor Worship

A religious practice where ancestral spirits are venerated as powerful figures influencing the living, key in Shang belief systems.

Ritual Bronzes

Bronze vessels used for offerings, particularly grain-based drinks and food, during Shang burial rituals.

Taotie

A motif commonly found on Shang bronzes, possibly representing ancestor spirits, characterized by symmetrical designs.

Human Sacrifice

A practice during the Shang Dynasty, often involved in royal burials and associated with significant funerary rites.

Wu Wang

The vassal who overthrew the last Shang ruler and established the Zhou Dynasty.

Divination

The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown through supernatural means, central to Shang rituals.