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Inscribed Plastron I 4603
Inscribed Plastron I 4603
Inscribed Plastron I 4603
Inscribed Plastron I 4603
Inscribed Plastron I 4603
Inscribed Plastron I 4603
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Inscribed Plastron I 4603

In inscription example 1 & 2, for a person named Hsin () who suffers from illness or misfortune, the yu rite was to be held for relieving disasters and the divinations on whether to present white pigs to the male ancestor Wu or the female ancestor Hsin () were made. Example 3 divines on offering doe to the male ancestors Ting and Wu. Example 4 writes the divination on sacrificing 30 animals to the Supreme Deity and the boars along with goats presented on the same day. Example 5 records the oblation to the male ancestor Wu.

: The character “pig” with a vertical stroke on its lower abdomen refers to its genitalia means “boar.”
: The profile of a pig in a standing position.
: The character “doe” comprises “goat” and a phonetic compound that can be joined with different animal radicals to mean the female of its kind.
: An cattle in captivity prepared for oblation. The script further becomes a general term for sacrifices.
: The other script for “boar” comprises “pig” and an indicator that can be joined with different animal radicals to mean the male of its kind.
: A goat’s head with decurved horns.

Related Scripts
: The character “pig” with a slash means “castrated boar.”
: The character “piglet” comprises “pig” and “meat.”
: The script comprising “pig” and “arrow” refers to the target of hunting, wild pigs.
Item No.
R044636
Period
Late Shang Period
Dimensions
24.2(L)×17.8(W) cm
Excavated/Findspot
Pit YH127, Hsiao-t'un, Anyang County, Honan Province
Materials
Turtle Plastron

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