Shang Dynasty

The Shang dynasty was a major ancient Chinese dynasty from about 1766 to 1122 BC.

The Shang dynasty built cities in northern China along the Yellow River and is sometimes called the Yellow River Civilization. The Shang empire consisted of city-states which were often at war with one another, and the capital city shifted as power changed hands.

The Shang dynasty had writing in the form of oracle bones, questions and answers inscribed on a bone. They used a pictographic form of writing from which modern Chinese writing is descended. In the later part of the dynasty, early printing presses were used more widely than oracle bones for record keeping, although oracle bones were still used for religious purposes.

The wheel was perfected by the Shang dynasty and used in chariots.

The Shang dynasty ended in 1122 BC and was replaced by the Zhou dynasty.