The Life of the Prehistoric People

Prehistoric people relied on gathering, fishery, hunting and farming for survival. From the gathering and fishery in the Paleolithic Age, to planting rootstalk crops taken place approximately 6,000 years ago, until about 4,000 years ago, Taiwan finally entered the agricultural society. However, fishery and hunting remained important activities for survival.

At approximately 6,000 years ago, the immigrants from China-"Tapenkeng Culture" commenced the Neolithic Age of Taiwan. At about 4,700 years ago, "Cord-marked Pottery Culture" thrived all over Taiwan, and the different types of cord-marked pottery culture became the foundation of prehistoric cultures in Taiwan.

About 4,000 years ago, when Taipei Basin was still Taipei Lake, people of Yuanshan Culture and Chihshanyen Culture used to live along the bank. They caught fish and shells from the lake, hunted in the nearby hill bushes, and grew rice in areas close to their shelters. The shells netted and eaten were thrown away everywhere they pleased, and as a result, the shells piled up and became a huge deposit that archaeologists refer to as "shell mound".

The exhibition room introduces the immigrants from China at about 6,000 years old, and the predecessor of Taipei Basin---- Taipei Lake. Imagine yourself living along the riverbank with prehistoric people the Neolithic Age in Taiwan.