Niumatou Site

The Niumatou Site (traditional Chinese: 牛罵頭遺址; simplified Chinese: 牛骂头遗址; pinyin: Niúmàtóu Yízhǐ) is an archaeological site dating from the mid Neolithic period in Qingshui District, Taichung, Taiwan [1]. It is the oldest archaeological site in central Taiwan [1]. Civilizations in the area date to around 4,000 years ago when prehistoric people settled there during the Neolithic age [1]. These cultures left behind stone tools and pottery [1]. Because large numbers of stone hoes were unearthed, archaeologists think that those prehistoric people probably relied largely on farming for food [1]. However, they also hunted and fished to add more variety to their diets [1].