Final answer:
Lungshanoid cultures did use animal bones for divination, a practice later refined by the Shang dynasty, where inscribed animal bones called oracle bones were used to predict the future. This process was integral to Shang society and required extensive labor and skill.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, Lungshanoid cultures and subsequent cultures, like the Shang dynasty, used animal bones for divination. This practice is known as pyro-osteomancy or more specifically pyro-scapulimancy, which involved the application of heat to crack animal bones or turtle plastrons. The resulting patterns were interpreted by diviners to predict future events, such as military campaigns or harvests. Adapted from earlier traditions, the Shang dynasty refined this art by inscribing questions onto the bones before the divination process and inscribing the divination results afterwards. These inscriptions evolved into a logographic script, helping preserve knowledge and traditions over generations.
It was a labor-intensive process; from rearing the animals to preparing the bones, each divination required a substantial investment of labor -- at least 100 hours for a single set of turtle plastrons. The Shang kings relied heavily on this method, and it was an integral part of their decision-making process. In fact, archeological records suggest that people from different social strata, both elite and ordinary, continued to practice bone divination for various purposes.