Early Austronesian Pottery Traditions: Community Interactions Observed Through Petrographic and Micro-traces Analysis

I-Lin Wu

Before the 4,000 BP, cord-marked pottery appeared at all sites on the island, sharing common vessel shapes and exhibiting a high degree of similarity. In recent years, archaeologists have distinguished regional differences in the north, central, south, and east. We are particularly focused on the southeastern region of Taiwan facing the Pacific Ocean: the Fushan site (4500-3600 BP), located between the southern part of Dulan Bay and the Peinan River, is considered as the representative regional culture. Its remarkable double-eared cord-marked bowls spread over time in the region. The successor to the Fushan culture is the Peinan Culture, renowned for its jade ornament artifacts. This study focuses on artifacts unearthed from the Fushan site, the nearby Chaolaiqiao site, the lower layer of the Peinan site at the mouth of the Peinan River, and the Donhepei site at the mouth of the Mawuku River. Using petrographic analysis and micro-trace observation, we delve into the sources of clay and production techniques used by the people of that time, aiming to obtain information on pottery-making activities and interaction networks among the populations in this region. The origin of the clay was determined by petrographic analysis of the pottery assemblage and detailed dating data. Furthermore, by comprehensive micro-trace observation to reconstruct the overall forming and production techniques across different sites.