Yinxu

Yinxu is the archaeological remains of the last capital of the Shang dynasty, located on the outskirts of modern Anyang in Henan province, China. It is a key site for early Chinese history and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

The site preserves palace and temple foundations, a large royal cemetery and concentrations of oracle bones bearing the earliest attested Chinese script. Highlights include the excavated remains of administrative and ceremonial areas, the royal burial grounds with the tomb of Fu Hao, and museum displays of bronzes, jades and the oracle-bone material.

Yinxu was the urban and ritual centre of the late Shang polity. Oracle bones were brought to scholarly attention in 1899; large-scale archaeological excavations began in 1928 under Chinese archaeologists, and systematic fieldwork has continued since, including the 1976 excavation of Fu Hao’s tomb.

The ruins sit on the North China Plain near the modern city of Anyang in northern Henan province, within the broader Yellow River basin. The site occupies a plateau area that overlooks the surrounding agricultural plain and is accessible from Anyang.

• Oracle bones: First identified as an archaeological site after inscribed bones were recognised in 1899, providing the earliest known examples of Chinese writing.
• World Heritage: A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006, representing the last capital of the Shang dynasty (late Shang period, roughly 1300-1046 BCE).

What to See #

• Palace area: Archaeological palace and temple foundations from the late Shang dynasty, exposed as low stone and rammed-earth platforms and posthole patterns during excavations.
• Royal cemetery (Fu Hao tomb): Royal cemetery containing numerous tombs; the most famous is the richly furnished tomb of the military leader-consort Fu Hao, excavated in 1976 and containing extensive grave goods.
• Oracle bone pits and collections: Concentrated finds of inscribed animal bones and tortoise shells - the oracle bones - and associated pits where these were discarded; many original objects are displayed in local museums.