Economic History of Taiwan - Prehistory

Prehistory

According to archaeological evidences, Taiwan has been inhabited by human since the late Upper Paleolithic (ca. 50,000 - 10,000 BP). One of the first civilizations developed was the Changpin culture (Chinese: 長濱文化) in southern Taiwan. Many archaeological sites of Neolithic civilizations were found in the Taipei basin in northern Taiwan. The economic activities during this period, which cannot be described with detail as there was no written language, were fishing, gathering, and farming.

About 2,000 years ago, northern Taiwan entered the Bronze Age. Iron metallurgy and advanced agricultural techniques strengthened economic activities. The Shihsanhang culture (Chinese: 十三行文化) rose during this period and had weaving technology. It did not end until the arrival of Han Chinese about 1,000 years ago.

Most scholars believe that the Shihsanhang culture represented the activities of the Taiwanese Plain Aborigines. Although there is no evidence to support this, it is generally recognized that the Taiwanese aboriginal tribes economically relied on fishing, hunting, and pursued slash-and-burn agriculture.