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Chinese Oracle Bones

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Chinese Oracle Bones

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Evening Lecture/Seminar

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET
Code: 1J0431
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This online program is presented on Zoom.
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Oracle bone with inscription (Photo: Herr Klugbeisser/CC BY-SA 3.0)

The oracle bones found in Yinxu (the “ruins of Yin”) represent the earliest surviving records of Chinese script and have yielded unique insights into customs during the reign of the kings of the once-legendary Shang dynasty. Oracle bones are ox bones and tortoise shells used for divination.

Historian Justin M. Jacobs recounts the fascinating history of the accidental discovery of what was once thought to be dragon bones at the turn of the 20th century and provides a new picture of Chinese civilization at the dawn of history—one filled with human sacrifice, communion with the supernatural world, and powerful women involved in military campaigns.

Jacobs is a professor of history at American University.

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