Tiffany Betz, age 15, of Willingboro, N.J., for her question:

WHEN WAS CHINA'S SHANG DYNASTY?

Shang dynasty was the earliest known Chinese dynasty or family of rulers. The dynasty governed from about 1500 B.C. to 1027 B.C., a period of about 470 years. It was centered in what is now northern Honan province.

The Shang society, though based on agriculture, became famous for its fine carvings and bronze work. Most Shang relics found by scientists came from An yang, the last Shang capital. An yang had houses, palaces, temples and elaborate tombs.

The people of the Shang period used bronze to make vessels, weapons and chariot fixtures. They also carved marble and jade and wove silk.

The Shang writing system had more than 3,000 symbols. This writing appears on pieces of bone called oracle bones. The people used oracle bones to ask the spirits of their ancestors about such future occurrences as crop raising, hunting trips and wars.

The Shang society was headed by a a priest king and had nobles and commoners. The people worshipped their ancestors and had many gods.