Title: Shang Dynasty Art: Characteristics, History of Erlitou Culture
Headings: Shang Dynasty Art (1700-1050 BCE)
History and Characteristics

Shang Dynasty Art (1700-1050 BCE)
History and Characteristics
Content: History of Art. Shang Arts and Culture
Although the legendary Xia Dynasty culture (c.2100-1700) centered on Erlitou, is being closely investigated by Chinese archeologists, the Shang Dynasty (sometimes called the Yin Dynasty) remains the first archeologically recorded dynasty in Chinese history. Based in northern China, in the area along the Yellow River in Henan Province, during the second millennium BCE, it became the most advanced and literate culture of the period. A major contributor to Chinese art, the Shang Dynasty is famous above all for its bronzes - mostly ceremonial vessels - and the workmanship of its sculptors and craftsmen testifies to a high level of civilization. During its 700-year existence, Shang culture was also responsible for important developments in Chinese pottery and jade carving, as well as Chinese lacquerware and ivory carving - see for instance the Shang ivory and turqoise goblets in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing. All this is clear from archeological discoveries at Anyang (formerly Yin), the Shang capital (1350–1046 BCE), which have unearthed eleven royal tombs, the remains of numerous palaces and sacred sites of both animal and human sacrifice, together with thousands of artifacts in bronze, jade, stone, ivory and bone, and ceramic clay. In addition, other discoveries at Anyang, dating to the later period 1200-1000 BCE, indicate that Shang culture had developed its own highly sophisticated system of writing. Evidence of this comes mostly from writings found on oracle bones, but it also includes inscriptions on bronze artifactsas well as writings on pottery, jade, ivory and other materials. Shang culture was developed further during the period of Zhou Dynasty Art (1050-221) and Qin Dynasty Art (221-206 BCE), as well as Han Dynasty Art (206 BCE - 220 CE). Shang Bronzes
Bronze Age art (as opposed to weaponry) began in China around 1700-1500 BCE, as bronze became a widespread substitute for jade, horn, ivory, and stone, in the crafting of high-status objects like ceremonial, ritualistic and feasting vessels.