Abstract
The remains of large quantities of rice and millet have recently been unearthed from some of the archaeological sites in Tainan Science Park (abbreviated as TSP), with dates ranging from 5,000 years before present down to 300 years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that these rice and millets grains were most probably the remains of ancient people''s agricultural crops and foodstuffs. These archaeological discoveries have pushed Taiwan''s agricultural history back to 5,000 years ago and therefore have great research value and significance. This article briefly describes these findings, and also discusses and provides a preliminary view on two related issues: 1. What were the sources of the earliest rice and millet cultivated in Taiwan as unearthed in TSP? 2. Can millet cultivation among modern Taiwanese aborigines be traced back to the millet cultivation of 5,000 years ago as exemplified in TSP? My preliminary conclusions are that first, rice and millet cultivation were most probably brought to Taiwan from their homeland on the coast of South China by the people of the Tapenkeng Culture, and second, it is still not clear whether millet cultivation among Taiwan aborigines is related to the millet cultivated in Taiwan 5,000 years ago.