The Directorate General of Highways (DGH) is confident that the Suhua Highway improvement project can be finished on time, despite a delay caused by the discovery by more layers at the Hanben Culture (漢本遺址) archeological site this year, but the archaeologist in charge of digging at the site said it depends on whether he has enough personnel to complete the dig.
The highway authority uncovered the site after it began construction on the project in 2012.
It found a second layer at the site in June, prompting concern that the project would be delayed.
DGH Director-General Chao Hsin-hua (趙興華) said the second layer would not affect the construction of the eight tunnels in the project, but it would affect construction of the overpass connecting the highway and Hanben (漢本).
The highway project is scheduled to be completed by 2018, Chao said.
Academia Sinica researcher Liu Yi-chang (劉益昌) said the significance of the site was determined after it was excavated, because the nation’s archeological records contained no information on it.
HANBEN HISTORY
The excavations shed light on the history of Hanben between 900 and 1,600 years ago, Liu said.
According to Liu, items found at the site indicate it was a medium-sized village of between 300 and 400 people. The inhabitants were able to smelt iron and gold — something they shared with people from other places around the South China Sea.
The first discovery of a similar archeological site was that of Shihsanhang (十三行遺址) cultural remains at the mouth of the Tamsui River, Liu said.
The Hanben people later became incorporated into Aboriginal communities, including the Amis, Beinan and Siraya peoples, Liu said.
“The excavated items showed that Taiwanese at the time had close connections with the people of the Indochina Peninsula. Items made in Taiwan were found in archeological sites in Indochina, and products made in Indochina were found here. The transitional point of this exchange was the Visayan Islands in the Philippines,” he said.
Liu said it was possible that Taiwanese traders had traveled to Indochina 2,000 years ago, carrying jade. The traders returned with glass beads and red agate beads, which can be seen on jewelry that was worn by Taiwanese Aborigines at that time, he said.
While the Shihsanhang archeological site has only turned up one item made of bronze, Liu said that three bronze items were found at the Hanben site.
Researchers found the remains of between 100 and 200 human bodies, Liu said.
The Hanben people buried multiple corpses in a grave inside a house, and the same burial method was practiced by the Paiwan and Beinan Aborigines, Liu said.
The discovery of the site sheds light on the history of Taiwan between the prehistoric age and the beginning of the protohistoric age, he said.
‘Finding a home’
Liu said the excavation work is aimed at “finding a home for the Hanben people.”
He said he sees no contradiction between the Suhua Highway improvement project and his dig, but the finish date of the project might need to be postponed slightly.
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