Jiahu symbols

The Jiahu symbols (simplified Chinese: 贾湖契刻符号; traditional Chinese: 賈湖契刻符號; pinyin: Jiǎhú qìkè fúhào) comprise a corpus of markings on prehistoric artifacts found in Jiahu, a neolithic site of Peiligang culture in Henan, China.

Some researchers assume this to be a very early writing system, based on the resemblance of few symbols to much later historic scripts and their placement (turtle shells and bones) hinting at the divination practices of the Late Shang dynasty.

Some shells exhibit holes similar to the ones used in the Shang oracle bones to insert heat sources, causing cracking interpreted by diviners.

The opponents point to the signs being too primitive and inconsistent to be part of a writing system.

There is also a possibility of some signs being a result of unintentional damage or used as workshop marks.