Paper short abstract:

Archaeological research of Quemoy Islands, located in southeastern coast of Fujian Province of China, begins to shed light on the understanding of early Austronesians movement.

Paper long abstract:

Quemoy (or Kinmen) Islands, a small archipelago of several islands, located in southeastern coast of Fujian Province of China, was literally an outpost for Taiwan (ROC) to against the Communist China (PRC). Due to constant military confrontation from 1949 till 1992, Quemoy was under military administration and its economic development was basically still or limited. Without or limited development is sometime good for archaeological preservation. However, military restriction means low accessibility and may hamper archaeological research. Besides, construction of military facilities imposed unknown threat to archaeology.

The establishment of Kinmen National Park in 1995 announces the beginning of archaeological research of the Quemoy Islands. Archaeological sites were found in both Greater Kinmen Island and Lesser Kinmen Island (Lieyu). Among them, Fuguodun and Jinguishan were the earliest known sites, dated around 6,800-6,400 B.P. Fuguodun yielded coarse corded ware and was linked to the Dabenkeng Culture, the earliest know Neolithic Culture in Taiwan, by late Professor Kwang-chih Chang when he proposed his migratory Lungshanoid hypothesis.

Quemoy late Neolithic sites include Pubian, Houfenggang, Qingqi, and Xihu, dated around 4,800-3,000 B.P. These sites share similar ceramics, mostly reddish brown sandy ware and are classified as the same cultural type, namely the Pubian type. Some scholars claimed that similar cultural characteristics, especially ceramics, were found in the Minjiang River area of northern Fujian Province and the Zhujiang River (Pearl River) area of Guangdong Province suggesting close affiliation. However, the relation between the Pubian type and the contemporaneous Taiwan counterparts remains to be determined.