U2 DBI : Oracle Bones

Document Based Investigation 6: Oracle Bones

Remember

  1. Identify the topic and title

    1. Oracle Bones

  2. Identify the author of the source and the date it was created

    1. Citizen of Shang Dynasty China

  3. Carefully read the passage to understand the main points

    1. Oracle bones are the earliest evidence of Chinese writing, and oracle bones trace its evolution. In the Shang dynasty, symbols conveying ideas and concepts were used.

  4. Place the source in historical context

    1. Oracle bones used to ask questions to Gods

Why are oracle bones important to historians today?

Oracle bones are important to historians because it allows historians to track the evolution of Chinese writing. This is because the ancient Chinese have wrote on Orcale bones for thousands of years, and by studying the writing on oracle bones, scholars can make out that writing matured from pictographs to symbols that represents words and ideas. Oracle bones also give historians a glimpse of Shang Dynasty culture, as the Shang Chinese would write questions to their Gods on Oracle bones. Studying these questions give us an idea of Shang Chinese values and ethics.