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A jade parrot from the tomb of Fu Hao at Yinxu and Liao sacrifices of the Shang Dynasty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2018

Rong Wang ,
Chang-sui Wang  and
Ji-gen Tang
Rong Wang*
Affiliation:
Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
Chang-sui Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, 19 A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
Ji-gen Tang
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 27 Wangfujing Street, Beijing 100710, P.R. China
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: wangrong@fudan.edu.cn)
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Abstract

The importance of jade in the burnt offerings of the Shang Dynasty known as ‘Liao sacrifice’ has long been known from documentary evidence, but has yet to be scientifically verified. We present the results of non-destructive analyses of a jade parrot excavated from the tomb of imperial consort Fu Han at Yinxu in Henan Province. Analyses revealed the presence of diopside, an outcome of phase transition from tremolite resulting from heating in antiquity. This provides the first scientific evidence that the Shang Dynasty used jade in Liao sacrifice, and confirms oracle bone inscriptions and later records concerning the ritual.

Keywords

ChinaShang Dynastytomb of Fu HaoLiao sacrificejade
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 92 , Issue 362 , April 2018 , pp. 368 - 382
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2018 

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