Biological Profile of the Neolithic Burials from the Ta-Hu Culture, Southwestern Taiwan

LIN Hsiu-man

Studies in the field of biological anthropology began in Taiwan during the period of Japanese colonization. This early research predominantly emphasized the collection of body measurements and descriptions of living aborigines. However, a subsequent shift in focus later in the period saw attention move onto the study of skeletal remains from Neolithic sites Currently, one of the objectives of bioarchaeology is to reconstruct the behaviour and lifestyle of a given group through a combination of biomechanical analyses, genetic analyses, the study of pathologies, and other observations. Based on these ideas, this paper aims to conduct a preliminary report of human skeletons from sites of the Ta-Hu culture in the Tainan County, based on morphological analysis and dental comparisons. The Ta-Hu culture is a late neolithic culture, dated back to 3500 BP-2000 BP, in southwestern Taiwan. Its distinctive features include grey-black pottery, refined stone tools (such as the Battuta stone axe), and widespread shell mounds and burials. The sites for include in this study are the Wu-Shan-Tou site (excavations in 1999 and 2022) and the San-Pau-Pi site (excavation season 4). The results of the morphological observations reveal high frequencies of shovelling incisors, enamel extension, and tooth ablation. Curiously, Carabelli’s cusp is also observed in few individuals. In terms of pathology, osteoarthritis was a common disease who had reached the age of 20. However, the identification of osteomyelitis and tuberculosis (TB) is extremely surprising as such diseases have never been identified in Neolithic sites before.