The Shang Dynasty lasted from around 1500-1100 BCE in China and was part of the Bronze Age. It was a highly stratified society with a wealthy elite class that produced ritual bronze vessels and weapons. Writing developed during this period which became the basis for modern Chinese characters. Key artifacts include bronze ritual vessels like the gu, ding, and jue that were used for ceremonies and ancestor worship.

1. Shang Dynasty
ca. 1500-1100 BCE
Part of the Bronze Age

2. • Bronze Ding,
Shang, ca.
13th C

4. • Shang bronze gui, ca. 1600-1100 BCE

5. • Bronze Gu (wine
goblet), Shang
dynasty, 13th C
BCE

6. • Longshan
Neolithic
• “Eggshell”
pottery

7. • Closeup of
tao tie on
early Shang
bronze

8. • Spouted ritual wine vessel (guang), Shang
dynasty, early Anyang period (ca. 1300–1050
B.C.),

9. • Jue, Ritual
Wine Vessel,
Late Shang
(12th C BCE)

10. • Fang I (Ritual
Wine Vessel)
Shang, :late
13th-12th
century
• 11 3/4 x 7 1/4
in.

14. • Shih tripod bronze ting vessel
Late Shang dynasty (1300-1046 B.C.)

20. • Functional weapon set

21. • Jade ceremonial weapons

22. Shang Dynasty Review
• Bronze Age: weaponry, ritual vessels
• Highly stratified, wealthy and powerful
society
• The basis for modern Chinese writing
• vocab: taotie, afterlife, grave goods, ritual,
divination, oracle, ancestor worship, Xia
dynasty, gu, ding, jue, piece-mold casting,
pictograph, thunder pattern