New Taipei City Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology Introduction
The Shisanhang Museum of Archaeology, located in Bali, is the first archaeological museum in Taiwan. It was established to protect the national secondary heritage site, the Shisanhang Site. In 1955, an Air Force aircraft flying over Bali encountered a magnetic anomaly on its compass, leading to the discovery of the Shisanhang Site. Subsequently, geologists and archaeologists came to investigate and found that this was a prehistoric site, which led to the establishment of the museum. The Shisanhang culture belongs to the Iron Age of northern Taiwan and is currently the only known prehistoric community in Taiwan that possessed iron smelting technology. Not only is it the only archaeological museum in northern Taiwan, but it is also the first museum in New Taipei City to receive certification as an environmental education site. The entire museum consists of three distinct groups of architectural structures that create a complete concept, representing the imagery of mountains and seas, past and present, built with authentic materials such as cast-in-place concrete, sandstone, and aged metal panels. The museum features permanent exhibitions of important artifacts unearthed from the site, special exhibition halls, and an archaeological learning experience room that provide detailed introductions to the Shisanhang culture, the Yuanshan culture, and other archaeological sites and their historical backgrounds in Taiwan. Over a thousand years ago, the residents on the left bank of the Tamsui River lived in stilt houses and used human-faced pottery. It is said that the cannibalistic indigenous tribes used to engage in hunting activities, but later on began using such ritualistic items instead. Their daily diet was sourced from fish, shrimp, and shellfish from the sea. Their way of life is beyond our imagination today, but the Shisanhang Museum offers a glimpse into their past. The museum presents the Shisanhang culture in a rich and engaging manner, allowing us to understand what life was like for the Shisanhang people a thousand years ago. Additionally, it regularly holds special exhibitions, sometimes introducing the historical trajectory of the Tamsui River's development, and other times featuring archaeological explorations filled with scientific educational significance, allowing visitors to gain knowledge while being entertained and inspiring children’s interest in history.
