Scientific Analysis of Maritime Archaeological Artifacts

In the field of numismatic research, Professor Ellen Hsieh collaborated with scholars from the University of Illinois and other international institutions to investigate Chinese coins excavated from the Preah Khan of Kompong Svay site in Cambodia. The results were published in the international journal Asian Archaeology. The study integrates terrestrial and underwater archaeological data to examine the circulation of Chinese coins across Southeast Asian maritime regions. Through scientific compositional analysis of the excavated coins, the research explores the multiple roles and functions that Chinese currency may have played within the socio-economic system of the Angkor Kingdom, a society generally characterized as operating largely outside a monetized economy.

Research on ceramics encompassed multi-faceted analyses of Anping jars as well as residue analysis of prehistoric pottery from Heping Island.

Taking advantage of the relatively intact Anping jars recovered from Magong Harbor, the team conducted three-dimensional scanning and statistical analyses to clarify manufacturing characteristics and variability within the assemblage. This work contributes to ongoing discussions regarding the production and circulation of Anping jars, while also situating the artifacts within their broader historical context, particularly in relation to the activities of the Dutch East India Company in the Penghu region. These findings were presented at IKUWA 8.

In addition, Professor Hsieh collaborated with scholars from Imperial College London and the Tainan Archaeological Center to apply chemical compositional analysis in order to further investigate technological changes between early and later phases of Anping jar production. Preliminary results were presented at the Annual Meeting and Academic Conference of the Archaeological Society of Taiwan.

Finally, in the residue analysis of pottery from Heping Island, Professor Hsieh collaborated with Professor Wang Li-Ying. The study not only revealed aspects of the maritime dietary practices of the island’s prehistoric inhabitants, but also identified, for the first time within an archaeological context in Taiwan, evidence of dairy consumption. This discovery carries significant implications for understanding prehistoric subsistence and cultural practices. The findings were likewise presented at this year’s Annual Meeting and Academic Conference of the Archaeological Society of Taiwan.