Abstract

The article presents a report on а field trip of its authors to Pingdong County in the south of Taiwan in the summer of 2019, intended for analyzing the habits of food consumption among the Neolithic inhabitants of the coastal zone of southern Taiwan. The main research focused on the Oluanpi-2 archaeological site on the Cape Oluanpi — the southernmost point of the island. This is one of the earliest Neolithic sites on the island, which makes the materials important for understanding the adaptation processes on the part of the migrants from the mainland to the new environment. The site was inhabited by ca 4500 BP and people lived there continuously until 2500 BP. Various faunal remains and fishing equipment from all four cultural horizons have been analyzed, which made it possible to observe the increase in consumption over time. For interpreting the strategies of fishing and hunting on the part of the ancient population, ethnographic materials, written sources, and personal observations have also been used. Large number of fishing hooks and net sinkers, bones of the 15 species of fish, as well as land animals, mollusks, and turtles were found at the Oluanpi-2 site. Net sinkers (242 artifacts) and fishing hooks (58 artifacts) were categorized in accordance with their shapes and material. The comparison of the sizes of fishhooks has shown that one-piece artifacts, for example, those made of shell, were most likely used for catching small fish, while composite artifacts were used for catching deep-sea fish or fish of larges sizes. Deer were a main source of meat in the diet among land animals which also included wild boar and muntjac.

Keywords

Taiwan Island, Neolithic, Oluanpi-2 site, food consumption, fishing, hunting

Girchenko E.A.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5304-2595

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Ivanova D.A.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2873-6664

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS
Far Eastern Federal University

References

Chang Kwang-chih. The Archaeology of Ancient China. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1977, 535 p.

Chen Chi-lu. Material Culture of the Formosan Aborigines. Taipei: Taiwan Museum, 1968, 422 p.

Li Kuang-chou. Rethinking O-luan-pi, a Prehistoric Site at the Southern Tip of Formosa. Bulletin of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, National Taiwan University, 1974, No. 35/36, pp. 48-61.

Li Kuang-ti. Change and Stability in the Dietary System of a Prehistoric Coastal Population in Southern Taiwan. Phoenix: Arizona State Univ. Press, 1997, 293 p.

Li Kuang-ti. Prehistoric Marine Fishing Adaptation in Southern Taiwan. Journal of East Asian Archaeology, 2001, No. 3, pp. 47-74.

Sung Wen-hsun. O-luan-pi, a Prehistoric Site at the Southern Tip of Taiwan. Annual Bulletin of the China Council for East Asian Studies, 1967, No. 6, pp. 1-46.

Список литературы

Chang Kwang-chih. The Archaeology of Ancient China. - New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1977. - 535 p.

Chen Chi-lu. Material Culture of the Formosan Aborigines. - Taipei: Taiwan Museum, 1968. - 422 p.

Li Kuang-chou. Rethinking O-luan-pi, a Prehistoric Site at the Southern Tip of Formosa // Bull. of the Dep. of Archaeol. and Anthropol., National Taiwan Univ. - 1974. -N 35/36. - P. 48-61.

Li Kuang-ti. Change and Stability in the Dietary System of a Prehistoric Coastal Population in Southern Taiwan. -Phoenix: Arizona State Univ. Press, 1997. - 293 p.

Li Kuang-ti. Prehistoric Marine Fishing Adaptation in Southern Taiwan // J. of East Asian Archaeol. - 2001. -N 3. - P. 47-74.

Sung Wen-hsun. O-luan-pi, a Prehistoric Site at the Southern Tip of Taiwan // Ann. Bull. of the China Council for East Asian Studies. - 1967. - N 6. - P. 1-46.