Leisure and Cultural Services Department - Antiquties and Monuments Office

Recent Archaeological Discoveries

Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Tuen Mun

Archaeological Excavation at Tung Wan Tsai North, Ma Wan is elected as one of the Ten Most Important New Archaeological Discoveries in China, 1997

The excavation jointly conducted by the Antiquities & Monuments Office (AMO) and the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences at Tung Wan Tsai North, Ma Wan, Hong Kong in 1997 has been chosen by mainland China archaeological experts as one of China's ten major archaeological discoveries in 1997.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage commissioned the Zhong Guo Wen Wu Bao Office to appoint experts to select Ten Major Archaeological Discoveries in China out of 479 archaeological excavations conducted in 1997.

The excavation at Tung Wan Tsai North was carried out from June to November in 1997. The archaeological team discovered at the site 20 graves together with the remains of habitation and rich cultural relics of Pearl River Delta area dating back to middle and late Neolithic to early Bronze Age. These spectacular findings provide valuable information for the study of the culture of Hong Kong and of Guangdong and Guangxi areas during the pre-historical period. Funds for the excavation were generously provided by Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited.

The 20 burials of late Neolithic to early Bronze Age (c. 2000 to 1000 B.C.) were found in a sandbar and appeared to have been properly laid out. "Grave goods" comprising pottery and stone artefacts were found. The pottery vessels were mainly pots and jars, while stone artefacts included axes, adzes, arrowheads, spearheads, grinding stones, slotted rings, rings, bracelets and tube ornaments. There were also jade and shell decors; in some burials, even natural stones were found. The archaeological team also discovered in 15 burials, human remains of men, women and children.

The finding of well-preserved human remains of ancient people is one of the most important discoveries at Tung Wan Tsai North. It is also an important discovery for Hong Kong and even for the whole Pear l River Delta area. These human remains, after preliminary examination by physical anthropologists, were found to bear general characteristics of the Mongolian race as well as those of certain race in tropical areas. The discovery is very important in understanding the relationship between local Neolithic settlers and ancient inhabitants in the neighborhood, particularly in relations to the racial history of our indigenous people.

Tuen Mun is situated in the western part of Hong Kong, on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary. Within the district, famous mountains and ancient temples abound. It was a place for agriculture, fishery, commerce and industry, and its villages and towns have a long history. According to the Tang dynasty history books, Tuen Mun was also a place of military garrisons. It had long been a traffic hub for local and overseas merchants and travellers and commanded a key position for coastal defence.

As early as the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, local and overseas scholars had carried out archaeological investigations in So Kwun Wat, Lung Kwu Chau and Castle Peak Bay when quite a number of pre-historic relics were discovered. Since that time, the Hong Kong Archaeological Society has conducted numerous surveys and sub-surface investigations. Following the enforcement of the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance in 1976, the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) commissioned two territory-wide archaeological surveys which had both resulted in the discovery of many important archaeological sites in Tuen Mun. In recent years, the AMO has conducted a number of archaeological investigations and rescue excavations in response to the infrastructural works carried out in the district where many relics and historic sites from the Neolithic Period, the Bronze Age as well as the Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties were unearthed. Archaeological excavations conducted in Tuen Mun in recent years have clearly indicated that Hong Kong has a cultural heritage spanning 6,000 years.

Neolithic Period
The Bronze Age
Historical Periods

Back to "Recent Archaeological Discoveries"

Top

End of page