Oracle writing was done on tortoise shells and animal bones, and these were often taken as materials for making Chinese medicines. They were rediscovered in 1899 by an official from the capital being treated for an illness; they created a tremendous sensation. Today they are still considered an important resource for studying the origins of Chinese script.
甲骨文因刻在龜甲及獸骨上，原先被當作中藥材賣，一八九九年被一位生病的京官發現，舉世震驚，迄今仍被認為是中國可考的漢字之源。