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Ritual or Lethal? Bronze Weapons in Late Shang China

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Prehistoric Warfare and Violence

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Abstract

Large-scale bronze production is one of the most salient features of late Shang China (c.1200–1050 BC). Copper-alloy weapons were cast in extraordinary quantities and varieties as shown by the rich burial assemblages known from the period. However, their practical usages are not yet well-understood, and scholars speculate whether the weapons were functional implements or symbolic/prestige items. The chapter discusses the first wear analysis ever undertaken on Chinese Shang weaponry. The analysis has revealed a number of marks, which shed light on the manufacturing process, use, deposition and post-recovery alterations of the weapons. It has also challenged traditional typological classification of Shang weapons and argues for a holistic approach to weapon studies in Chinese archaeology.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Except for arrowheads, as their dating is problematic: see Shi 2008.

  2. 2.

    Oracle bone inscriptions are divination records from the late Shang period; they cover a wide variety of issues concerning the Shang elites, from sacrifices and military campaigns, to agriculture, childbirth and disasters/distress/trouble (Keightley 1997, 2000).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, UK

    Qin Cao

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  1. Qin Cao
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

    Andrea Dolfini

  2. University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom

    Rachel J. Crellin

  3. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Christian Horn

  4. Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom

    Marion Uckelmann

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Cao, Q. (2018). Ritual or Lethal? Bronze Weapons in Late Shang China. In: Dolfini, A., Crellin, R., Horn, C., Uckelmann, M. (eds) Prehistoric Warfare and Violence. Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78828-9_11

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