ZhiShanYen Heritage Site, Archaeological site in Shilin District, Taiwan
ZhiShanYen Heritage Site is an archaeological location situated on an elevated sandstone hill in northern Taipei Basin, where remains from multiple prehistoric settlement periods have been uncovered. The site contains several excavation areas and exhibits that demonstrate how human communities developed and changed over time in Taiwan.
In 1896, a Japanese teacher named Su Yeochan discovered stone tools at this location, making it the first prehistoric archaeological site identified in Taiwan. This discovery initiated systematic study of Taiwan's earliest human inhabitants and their material culture.
This place served as a settlement across multiple prehistoric periods, with evidence showing how communities adapted and lived on this elevated location. The objects found here reveal the daily practices and skills of people who occupied the site over thousands of years.
Visitors can view multiple exposed excavation areas and examine artifacts displayed in exhibits to understand the different settlement layers. The elevated location provides good views of the surrounding landscape and is reasonably accessible for exploration.
Geological evidence suggests this area was once an island in a saltwater lake that covered the entire Taipei Basin approximately 6,000 years ago. This transformation of the landscape explains why people chose to settle here and how their communities adapted as conditions changed.
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