Inscribed ritual bronzes feature in the legacy of the Western Zhou and have been revered throughout Chinese history. The bronze vessels allow identification of a whole spectrum of Zhou sites, houses, and larger buildings, workshops and city walls, but above all tombs and chariot burials. Western Zhou finds of all categories are widely distributed, ranging from Gansu and western Shaanxi, to Liaoning in the north and Shandong in the east. From about the time of the conquest, which may be dated at circa 1045 BC, the Zhou appear in Shaanxi using bronzes in the form of ritual vessel sets, weapons, and chariot fittings. Hoards usually included highly prized bronzes, valued in terms of their fine workmanship and long inscriptions recording family honors. Since early and middle Western Zhou inscribed bronzes have been found with late ones in use in the eighth century, it would appear that the elite families consciously preserved early pieces.