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Large tortoise plastron with oracular inscription (Part1 3914, R041003)

Tags: divination | oracle bone | Shang dynasty | turtle shell

One of the seven tortoise plastrons obtained in the Institute of History and Philology's 9th excavation of the Yin ruins in 1934, this oracular inscription belongs to the third or fourth period. Altogether there are 21 lines of text, primarily divining concerning matters of hunting. Before leaving for the hunt, the king of Yin would first divine to inquire if there would or would not be disaster, whether or not he would run into rain, and to prognosticate good or bad luck, in hopes of obtaining protection and blessing, and so on.

 

Rubbing dimensions: length 29.5 cm, width 20.4 cm Object dimensions: length 29.05 cm, width 19.23 cm

 

Excavation date: 1934, 9th Xiaotun excavation
Place of excavation: Xiaotun, Anyang County, Henan Province

 

Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
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