琉球先島群島下田原期與台灣東海岸花蓮溪口新石器時代遺址之文化內涵探討：新資料及技術選擇觀點的嘗試

琉球列島分為北中南三大文化圈，雖然中北部圈的新石器時代文化和日本列島繩文文化密切相關，南部圈文化內涵卻與之相異，反與位於東南亞地區的史前文化有較多相似之處。與琉球列島同屬東亞島孤的台灣島鄰接琉球列島南端，曾有多位學者針對兩地史前文化關係提出討論，主要藉局部磨製石斧與下田原式陶器討論南琉球與台灣東海岸的史前文化關係，但至今未有定論。筆者認為過去研究多注重於特殊器物，較少探討整體面向；再者日本與台灣考古學使用的是器物分類系統不同，部分相同器物被分置於不同分類中，造成比較研究的困難。近年來資料增加，注重整體觀點及人類能動性的技術選擇理論也有發展，筆者認為若能在釐清器物分類後，試以全貌觀點檢視物質文化的內涵與變遷，並納入環境背景因素，考量人在其中的選擇，或能重新審視台灣與琉球的史前文化關係。本文選定過去與琉球先島群島指出最多相似性的花蓮溪口新石器時代文化遺址，首先探討兩地出土遺物的分類方式與類型定義，究明遺物類型的異同，以避免分類系統不同造成研究誤差。而後比較遺址出土器種與形制，討論兩地器物組合的相似性，說明花蓮溪口一帶在新石器時代具有與南琉球相同的技術知識。再藉遺址是器種與器型的比例差異，討論兩地各自技術選擇的內涵與成因，進一步詮釋兩地居民史前生業及文化的異同、變遷與關聯。

關鍵字

琉球列島；花蓮溪口；下田原期；新石器時代；比較研究；技術選擇理論

並列摘要

The Ryukyu Islands can be culturally divided into North, Middle and South Ryukyu. Based on the style of artifacts, the Neolithic cultures in North and Middle Ryukyu had close relationships with the Jomon Culture in Kyushu On the contrary, the Neolithic culture in South Ryukyu, the Shimotabaru Age, is quite distinctive from the culture in Middle and North Ryukyu. Some artifact types of the Shimotabaru Age are similar to Neolithic cultures in Southeast Asia, like partially polished stone adzes or Shimotabaru Pottery. As the West Pacific island closest to the Ryukyu Islands island arc, many scholarshave debated the relationship between South Ryukyu and Taiwan Some researches tried to seek similarities between artifact types from South Ryukyu and Eastern Taiwan. However, such research usually emphasized certain types of artifacts, such as the aforementioned partially polished stone adzes or Shimotabaru Pottery, and discussed cultural interactions based on these limited attributes. At the same time, contextual issues were seldom taken into consideration. Thus the importance of culture holism is usually overlooked. Furthermore, arguments were usually influenced by differences between classification systems in the academic traditions, in Taiwan and Japan. Artifacts with the same attributes might be placed in different classes, thus making comparison between two areas much more difficult. In this paper, I will first deal with problem in typology, discussing definitions of kinds of artifacts in the two areas to make sure artifacts compared without the influence of differences between the classification systems belonging two academic traditions. Using technological choice theory, which takes material culture, culture structure, circumstances and human agency into consideration, this paper discusses cultural relationship through choices made in material culture. Therefore I will compare the similarities in types and styles of artifacts between the two areas, then interpret the choices made in prehistory in terms of similar artifact types, different ratios of artifacts types and circumstance conditions. Finally I discuss the prehistoric subsistence and cultural relationships of these two areas.