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SECTION
6 HERITAGE FUNCTIONS CAPITAL STOCK
| 6.2 |
Existing
Capital Stock and Trends |
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| Overview
of the Resource
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| 6.2.1.6 |
Prior
to the commissioning of the recent surveys
mentioned above, the extent of knowledge
about the archaeological resource in Hong
Kong was very limited. Survey and excavation
work before the 1970s was largely the preserve
of interested amateurs and many of the investigations
carried out subsequently have been in response
to land occupation by new development (HAB
1999). From the excavations and fieldwork
undertaken, however, evidence for human
settlement in the area as far back as the
Neolithic period (up to 4000 BC) has been
found. Despite the increase in surveying
activity in recent years, the interpretation
of the events of the past 6,000 years is
still a matter of academic discussion and
in archaeological terms, Hong Kong is thought
to be a tiny part of the far greater cultural
sphere of Southern China (ISD 1999).
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| 6.2.1.7 |
Archaeological
evidence from the middle Neolithic Period
(circa 4000-2500 BC) and late Neolithic Period
(circa 2500-1500 BC) has been found throughout
the territory, principally as artefacts including
vessels and tools, but also through remains
of early settlements and sites of structures.
Whilst most of the finds indicate a strong
maritime settlement pattern, evidence of inland
settlement has also been identified and in
some places erosion of hilly terrain has exposed
such remains. Analysis of pottery finds from
recent excavations reveal that there were
two main Neolithic cultures, the first in
the 4th millennium BC and the second around
1500 years later. |
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| 6.2.1.8 |
Artefacts
of the Bronze Period (circa 1500-221 BC) have
been excavated on several of Hong Kong's islands,
including metallic tools and implements as
well as more advanced forms of pottery. Eight
groups of geometric-style rock carvings around
the coast of Hong Kong are believed to date
from this period. The discovery of a prehistoric
burial ground at North Tung Wan Tsai on Ma
Wan Island in 1997 provided a number of skeletal
remains which reveal that the early inhabitants
of this area are Asian Mongoloid with characteristics
of a tropical racial group (ISD 1999). |
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| 6.2.1.9 |
From
221 BC until the period of British rule,
Hong Kong was under the jurisdiction of
the dynasties of the Chinese emperors from
the north following their military conquest.
Significant archaeological findings from
the dynasties are summarised below (AMO
1997):
- artefacts
(including pottery, iron implements, coins
and beads) from Tung Wan Tsai and a brick
tomb at Lei Cheung Uk village dating from
the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD);
- various
excavations of sites from the Tang dynasty
(618-907 AD), particularly on Lantau,
Lamma and Hong Kong islands yielded many
kiln structures together with export wares
from the famous Tongguan kiln in Hunan;
- although
the history of the Song dynasty (960-1279
AD) appears to be well documented, few
archaeological finds of significance from
this period have been made in Hong Kong.
Only one site, Ha Lo Wan in Chek Lap Kok,
where twelve kilns were unearthed, can
be dated to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368
AD);
- a
pottery manufacturing site at Wun Yiu
in Tai Po has been excavated and dated
to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD) as
well as a find of Thai porcelain and Indian
glass beads found at Sha Tsui in Sai Kung.
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| 6.2.1.10 |
During
the final dynasty, Qing (1644-1911), many
of the settlements now familiar in Hong Kong
developed, including the market towns of Tai
Po, Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long. Many
of the structures from this era still stand
and significant built heritage resources are
described in the following section. |
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