The Prehistorical Relationship between Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands

從地理上而言，台灣和琉球列島相當 接近，其間不但有利於航行的海流，且遠 在更新世時代曾有數次陸橋相連，這些自 然環境的背景使得研究者們相信兩地的史 前人類應有頻繁的往來與接觸。 不過，根據目前的考古證據，兩地在 陶器、石器與貝器方面都是異多於同。筆 者認為造成這種現象的原因，一種可能是 本地的史前活動並不與自然背景相對應， 當然其中的原因必要做進一步的探討，而 另一個解決之道是在研究方法上，可能要 從整體文化系統上重新考慮之，但這個過 程或許應先檢討我們對考古學文化的僵直 概念，直接從人與環境的互動關係研究中 找答案。The natural environments imply the prehistory of frequent contacts and diffusion between Taiwan and Ryukyu Islands: (1)the two areas are close in geographic distance; (2)sea currents that helps sailing go through them; (3)they were connected several times by land bridges during Pleistocene. But, according to archaeological evidence, they are quite different in artifacts. This outcome may indicate the prehistorical activities in the areas are not consistent with their environments. The other possibility is that the inconsistency is caused by research methods. That is, the whole cultural systems should be reconsidered by reviewing the rigid concepts within archaeological cultures and digging out the answer directly from the interaction of human and natural environments