Migration and cultural interaction in Southern Coastal China, Taiwan and the Northern Philippines, 3000 BC TO AD 100 : the early history of the Austronesian-speaking populations

Abstract

In accordance with linguistic evidence, a current most favoured model locates a ProtoAustronesian speaking population in Taiwan, and suggests that descendants of this population dispersed fairly rapidly with languages, genes and material culture through Taiwan, into the Philippines and Indonesia, and eventually into Oceania. My research interest is focused on the origins and expansion history of these Neolithic populations into and out of Taiwan. I focus specifically on the interaction between Taiwan and the Philippines between ca. 4000 and 1500 BP, and this has led me to undertake research in an extensive region surrounding Taiwan, including coastal Southern China and surrounding islands such as Penghu, Ludao, Lanyu, Batanes, Luzon, and the Marianas. In this thesis, 304 radiocarbon dates are listed and reviewed from the overall study area between coastal southern China and the Marianas. According to the pottery assemblages, it is evident that the earliest Neolithic cultures of each region can be traced back to homelands located in northerly or westerly directions. This is confirmed by the fall off in radiocarbon dates moving out of coastal Southem China and Taiwan. This thesis also discusses the distribution of Fengtian (Taiwan) nephrite artifacts in Taiwan and beyond Taiwan, dated from 3000 BC through the first millennium AD. After Neolithic migrants settled Luzon from Taiwan approximately 4000 years ago, the export of Fengtian nephrite from Taiwan into the Philippines continued for more than 2000 years, eventually reaching Borneo, southern Vietnam and Peninsular Thailand. This trade network is not only as one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks in the prehistoric world, but also, more importantly, shows us the very complicated cultural process of human migrations and material exchanges. However, this study also observes that the commencement of the Neolithic in each region is reflected in the occurrence of a cultural complex of new traits, including advanced technology in pottery decoration, j a d e styles, burial practices, marine-oriented subsistence strategies, and other aspects of non-ceramic material culture. Several issues regarding population movements in this region, such as population intrusion, cultural continuity, cultural transitions, rates of expansion, and motives of migration are discussed here as well. Therefore, this thesis evaluates the proposed scenario of migration and human interaction beyond Taiwan, especially via issues of material culture.

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