Shang Dynasty royals were вυrιed with sacrificed slavesThe Shang dynasty was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled from around 1600 BC. C. until 1045 a. C., in the valley of the Yellow River. It was a powerful and enduring dynasty, marking an important period in the history of ancient China. It is also considered the first dynasty in Chinese history that can be documented and supported by archaeological evidence.

Over the years, excavations of Shang sites have yielded a wealth of fascinating artifacts, ranging from exquisite royal jade objects, bronze vessels, and many intriguing burials. This is perhaps the first period in Chinese history that passed from the accounts of ancient legends to the realms of reality.

The Renji were captives and slaves, mostly male, and treated the same as animal sacrifices

During these excavations, the archaeologists made an unexpected discovery that led them to realize that the history of the time was much more sinister than they could have imagined. Archaeologists were shocked by the discovery of human sacrifice in Shang royal tombs, where carefully placed skeletons of slain slaves indicated this dark practice. However, by the time of the next Zhou dynasty, human sacrifice seems to have completely disappeared.

One of the most important discoveries related to human sacrifice in China is the tomb of Fu Hao. One of King Wu Ding’s many wives, Fuhao was a powerful priestess and general. His was just one of many royal tombs located in the ancient city of Yinxu, one of the last capitals of the Shang dynasty.

Inside the sumptuous necropolis, researchers have found a multitude of precious objects of all kinds, numbering in the thousands. But what intrigued them most were the animal and human remains included in the Shang dynasty tomb. It seems that Lady Fu Hao was not buried alone.

Deepen the identity of those subjected to ritual human sacrificeArchaeologists discovered a small pit under Fu Hao’s corpse while excavating the site. Inside were buried six dogs that were sacrificed. The likely reason they were there was to protect her lover in the afterlife. But it wasn’t the scariest discovery. On the other hand, the excavations yielded the remains of 16 people, all of whom were sacrificed and carefully buried. The Shang dynasty kept very dark secrets.

Fu Hao’s Dark Tomb was not an isolated case. Over the years, the Shang capital of Yinxu has been extensively excavated, revealing a vast burial ground where members of the royal family were buried. Many of their tombs had human remains sacrificed inside. In addition, the field is littered with more than 2,500 slaughter pits.

The invocation and enjoyment of the old gods was clearly important to the Shang. This is further confirmed by numerous snail and animal bones that have been found. These were used by oracles as a form of divination tool. Many have inscriptions on them directly asking whether humans and animals should be slaughtered or not.

Yinxu, the last capital of the Shang, is considered the high place of human sacrifice of the time. Scholars believe that in the last 200 years of the Shang period, more than 13,000 humans were sacrificed to Yinxu.

Of these, the vast majority were men, between 15 and 35 years of age. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that human sacrifices were taking place en masse, with anywhere from 15 to 50 people killed simultaneously. The largest known human sacrifice event involved at least 339 people.

A dark period in China’s ancient history Thanks to advanced modern technology, archaeologists have been able to study in detail the human remains sacrificed during the Shang dynasty. One important finding was that most of the sacrificial victims had resided in Yinxu for several years before their deaths, suggesting that they may have been slaves. This fits with the historical background of the Shang dynasty, which frequently engaged in wars with neighboring enemies.

Research shows that most of these people were not Shang descendants and would likely be considered foreigners at the time. Cranial remains indicate a strong similarity to modern Chinese, based on comparable remains from Taiwan and Hainan.

Through archaeological finds, it has become abundantly clear that the Shang Dynasty not only tolerated but also practiced slavery, often using their own servants as sacrificial offerings through cruel and brutal methods. The ancient Chinese placed great importance on the afterlife and ensured that their royal family members were buried with all the luxuries they had enjoyed in life, which unfortunately included the use of their slaves.

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