Understanding Oracle Bones in the Shang Dynasty

History
Year 9 / GCSE / Grade 8
9 questions
~18 mins
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Understanding Oracle Bones in the Shang Dynasty

Subject: HistoryGrade: Year 9 / GCSE / Grade 8
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Grade Year 9 / GCSE / Grade 8
A

Vocabulary and Concepts related to Oracle Bones

Source: Historical Overview of Oracle Bones

'Oracle bones are pieces of turtle shell or animal bone, which were used in ancient China during the Shang Dynasty for divination. Priests inscribed questions onto the bones and then applied heat until they cracked. The cracks were interpreted as answers from ancestors or gods, guiding important decisions.'

Provenance: Summary from a history textbook on ancient China.

1.
Define the term 'oracle bones'. (2 marks)
[2 marks]
2.
Explain the process of how oracle bones were used in Shang China. (3 marks)
[3 marks]
3.
Compare the materials used for oracle bones and their significance. (4 marks)
[4 marks]
4.
Outline the significance of oracle bones in Shang society. (4 marks)
[4 marks]
5.
Write a short paragraph explaining why oracle bones are important to historians studying the Shang Dynasty. (4 marks)
[4 marks]
6.
Compare the information found on oracle bones with other archaeological finds from the Shang Dynasty. (5 marks)
[5 marks]
7.
Analyse the role of divination in Shang China based on what you know about oracle bones. (5 marks)
[5 marks]
8.
Outline the types of questions that were inscribed on oracle bones. (3 marks)
[3 marks]
9.
Explain how the interpretation of cracks on oracle bones was important in Shang society. (3 marks)
[3 marks]

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Details

Created
1/1/2026
Updated
1/1/2026
Type
worksheet