oracle bones

plural noun

1. a group of inscribed animal bones and shells discovered in China and used originally in divination by the ancient Chinese, especially during the Shang dynasty.

Word History and Origins

Origin of oracle bones¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

They also found something less tangible: the beginnings of the Chinese writing system, in the form of the inscriptions on the animal scapula and tortoise shells known as oracle bones.

From Washington Post

Fu Hao was a consort of the king, Wu Ding, which is reflected in the show’s display of oracle bones.

From Washington Post

From Israel she jumps to India for the origins of the Vedas, and then over to China for the earliest scriptures, in the modern sense of written sacred texts: oracle bones.

From Washington Post

The most memorable books about China often have rich narratives, like Evan Osnos’s “Age of Ambition” or Peter Hessler’s “Oracle Bones.”

From New York Times

From the ancient habits of reading oracle bones and tracking seasons via patterns in the night sky to modern sports prognosticating and by-the-hour weather forecasting, humans have long obsessed over predicting the future.

From Slate