Picture this: Tung Wan Tsai, more than just a bay. It’s a window into Hong Kong’s prehistoric past.
Tung Wan Tsai North on Ma Wan Island holds secrets thousands of years old. In 2021, it earned a spot on China’s “100 Major Archaeological Discoveries in the Last 100 Years.” This honor puts it alongside the Peking Man Site and the First Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum.
In 1997, archaeologists unearthed a treasure trove here at Tung Wan Tsai. They found 20 graves dating back to the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age, roughly 2000 to 1000 BC. Imagine this sandbar centuries ago. People carefully laid out their dead.
Fifteen of these graves held human remains. These weren’t just scattered bones. They were skeletons. Grave goods accompanied them like pottery and stone tools. Pots, jars, axes, arrowheads and jewelry were found. Jade and shell decorations adorned some of the bodies in Tung Wan Tsai.
The skeletal remains found at Tung Wan Tsai are incredibly important. They offer insights into the people who lived here. Physical anthropologists studied them. They found characteristics of both Asian Mongoloids and other races from tropical areas. This discovery helps us understand the racial history of the region’s indigenous people.
One grave, Burial C7, held a woman over 40 years old. She was buried with stone slotted rings, fishbone ornaments and a pottery cauldron. This coarse pottery cauldron had a lozenge pattern. It rested to the left of her skull, a poignant farewell gift.
The Tung Wan Tsai site isn’t just significant for Hong Kong. It’s vital for understanding the entire Pearl River Delta during the pre-historical period. The discoveries here help establish the sequence of prehistoric cultural development in the Lingnan area.
In fact, Tung Wan Tsai was the only archaeological find in Hong Kong to be included on three lists of important discoveries. This highlights its immense value to researchers and historians alike.
What did these ancient Hongkongers eat? A study found they relied heavily on seafood. They didn’t farm much or hunt land animals. Their diet consisted of large, deepwater fish, mollusks, dolphins, sharks, and porpoises. This suggests they were skilled fishermen.
Today, you can see selected relics from Tung Wan Tsai at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre. You can view pottery wares, polished stone rings, and slotted rings. You can also see recreations of what the early settlers of Tung Wan Tsai looked like.
So, as you stand here at Tung Wan Tsai, remember its hidden history. It is a story of ancient people, their lives, and their deaths. This small bay holds a big piece of Hong Kong’s past.