乙七基址大約是早、晚兩次建築遺存。早期建築遺存以B1至B10等夯土壇臺為核心,有壕溝等圍護設施。晚期建築遺存,包括具有厚實木骨夯土牆的大型建築物、高大的夯土平臺(神壇)、低平的夯土場地(祭臺)。
乙七基址約始建於武丁早期,改建於武丁晚期,沿用到廩辛、康丁時期。
乙七基址應與乙五組宮殿建築是共存的禮儀建築,後者可能是用於理政的宮殿(朝),前者可能是祭祀遠祖先公的宗廟,即卜辭所見廩辛、康丁時候的右宗。
The No. 7 structural foundations of the second building cluster at Yinxu (conventionally known as the Yi-7 site) represent structures built during two separate periods. Those structures built in the earlier period centered around the B1 to B10 rammed-earth platforms and were enclosed by a trench. In contrast, those structures built later included a large building with thick rammed-soil walls supported inside by wood poles, as well as an altar and a low, flat space for making offerings, the surfaces of both of which were covered with rammed-soil. The structures within the Yi-7 site are conventionally thought to have been constructed during the early Wuding period, were probably reconstructed or converted in the late part of that period, and continued to be used into the Linxin and Kangding reigns as well. The structures are believed to have made up a ceremonial complex which existed concurrently with the Halls (Yi-5). The latter were used for making political decisions (the imperial court), while the former were used to make offerings or sacrifices to the ancestors and spirits and possibly constitute the western temple to remote ancestors written of in inscriptions on oracle bones.
殷墟乙七基址 宗廟建築 右宗
No. 7 structural foundations, ancestral temple structures, the western temple to remote ancestors