Abstract
The micro-remain, refers to pollen, phytolith, and starch grains. The research method and topics for micro-remains based on the knowledges of the disciplines of geology, botany and archaeology, developed vigorously and widespread from the mid-20th century. The study included ancient climate, environment reconstruction, and discover the ancient people life pattern from the analysis of artefacts and calculus. The study extracted the ancient starch grains from the stone knifes and soils sample from the Niu Niao Kang site, which the C-14 dating 2800-2300 BP and belonged to Wushantou phase of Dahu culture. Through the morphogaphic observation and the data of extent starch granules from the microscopy, the study trying to discover the plant-use stategy of the people lived in the period of Dahu culture. The result indicated that it could find the micro-remains if the samples were under the well-preserved conditions, and revealed that stone-knifes had been washed after excavation, though, still has chances to find the starch grains from their surface. In the experiment, a total of 9 starch grains extracted from three stone knifes and some of them could be identified. After preliminary identification by the expert in the field of ancient starch grain research, suggested that there has three Triticeae or Panicoideae type starch grains, two small starches might be the transient starch from stem or leaf. And two other starches from two stone-knifes’ unused side were identified for tuber. Although there might have the possibility of contamination from the post-depositional environment, it also has possibility of coming from the tissue which buried with the artefacts. However, in the 74 soil samples only found total of 194 phytolith remains such as Miscanthus or sogon grass in 10 soil samples. Most of the phytolith remains came from the soils which were well-preserved by pottery. The result indicated that even the starch analysis method could be apply in the area which have extreme climate, it still needed more research to improve the research method in Taiwan.