No. 10
龜背甲卜辭 (《乙編》5241, R044772)
Tortoise shell with oracular inscription (Part2(《乙編》)5241, R044772)
出土時間:1936年小屯第13次發掘
Excavation date: 1936, 13th Xiaotun excavation
出土地點:河南省安陽縣小屯
Place of excavation: Xiaotun, Anyang County, Henan Province
實物長12.9公分,寬6.8公分
Object dimensions: length 12.9 cm, width 6.8 cm
拓片長 12.72公分,寬7.03公分
Rubbing dimensions: length 12.72 cm, width 7.03 cm
中央研究院歷史語言研究所1936年第13次發掘所得,為YH127坑出土甲骨,屬第一期。這是形制上較為特殊的改制背甲,卜辭內容是關於下雨和農作物收成的卜問。商代貞卜較少用龜背甲,此龜背甲則屬於「改制背甲」,也就是將整片背甲對剖以後,再鋸去中間脊體的部分和首尾兩端,磨成光滑長形而兩端橢圓不甚規則的形狀,中間有穿孔,可以用繩子貫穿。陳夢家認為這可能就是「冊」的象形。
Obtained in the Institute of History and Philology's 13th excavation in 1936, this is an oracle bone dug out from pit YH127, belonging to the first period. This is a unique shell in terms of its modified shape. The contents of the divination inscription are questions having to do with rainfall and receiving the harvest.
Tortoise shells were used relatively little for divination in the Shang dynasty, and this tortoise shell moreover belongs to the category of "modified tortoise shells." Furthermore, after the entire tortoise shell was cut in two, the extremities of each half – the spine, head, and tail parts – were sawed off. Finally, the shell was ground to a glossy polish and given an oval shape. In the middle was bored a hole, through which may be threaded a rope. Chen Mengjia regards this as possibly resembling the form of a bound book.