53 inscribed oracle bones confirm Zhouyuan Site as Western Zhou capital Shiu. Chinese archaeologists found 53 inscribed oracle bones at the Zhouyuan Site site in Shaanxi province bearing direct references to royal activities The oracle bones were recovered from a moat ditch outside the city's south wall, deliberately broken and discarded into a garbage pit Over 80 identifiable characters were found, including a rare combined inscription of King Wen's honorary name
Amazing find in Shaanxi! Chinese archaeologists uncovered 53 inscribed oracle bones at Zhouyuan Site containing direct references to royal activities, including inscriptions mentioning King Wen. The bones were deliberately discarded in a trash pit outside the city's south wall. Most significantly, this represents new textual evidence related to King Ji Chang (King Wen) of the Zhou Dynasty, supporting Zhouyuan Site's identification as a major Western Zhou settlement.
Key Facts
- Chinese archaeologists found 53 inscribed oracle bones at the Zhouyuan Site site in Shaanxi province bearing direct references to royal activities
- The oracle bones were recovered from a moat ditch outside the city's south wall, deliberately broken and discarded into a garbage pit
- Over 80 identifiable characters were found, including a rare combined inscription of King Wen's honorary name
- This is the first direct textual evidence of King Ji Chong, founder of the Zhou Dynasty who ruled circa 1100-1050 BCE
- The discovery solidifies Zhouyuan Site's status as the early Western Zhou capital Shiu
- Previous excavations had revealed large building foundations and triple city walls from the Western Zhou period but lacked conclusive textual links
Related site: Zhouyuan Site — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: 10 Mind-Blowing Ancient Inscriptions Unveiled (2025-2026) by World of Antiquity