Oracle bone script is the ancient Chinese writing system preserved on animal bones and turtle shells from the Shang dynasty.
The inscriptions were mainly carved on ox scapulae and turtle plastrons for divination. Questions about weather, harvests, warfare, illness, childbirth, and royal ceremonies were recorded before heated tools caused cracks that were interpreted as answers.
Most known examples date from the late Shang period, especially the reigns of kings who ruled from Yin near modern Anyang. The texts include many recognizable ancestors of modern Chinese characters, making them a crucial source for studying the development of Chinese writing.
Oracle bone script is not the same as seal script, which became standardized later. It is also distinct from inscriptions cast into bronze vessels, although both belong to early stages of Chinese writing.