New excavations at the Zhengzhou Shang City site have revealed an extensive industrial sector dedicated to the mass production of bone needles and sewing implements. Dating back to the Early Shang Dynasty, this site features dozens of ceramic polishing-vats filled with abrasive sands and mineral powders used to refine the bone shards into surgical-grade needles.
This find suggests that textile production and garment manufacturing during the Shang period were far more industrialized than previously believed. The scale of the workshop implies a centralized textile economy where standardized tools were produced to support both the military and the elite court, marking a significant milestone in ancient Chinese manufacturing history.