WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -First and foremost, the Shang employed bronze for weapons, which are relatively easy to cast (being comparatively flat, they were cast in simple, two-parts moulds) and much more effective than their stone counterparts. They do not seem to have been prized primarily as ceremonial items.

Detailed explanation-2: -The power of the Shang kings depended on their control of bronze production for warfare. The dagger-axe, hafted onto a wood shaft, was the premier weapon of combat. Finely cast examples excavated from tombs suggest that such objects also had strong ritual significance.