New Taipei City Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology Introduction
The Shisanhang Museum of Archaeology, located in Bali, is Taiwan's first archaeological museum. It was established to protect the national second-grade historic site, the Shisanhang Site. In 1955, an Air Force plane flying over Bali encountered a magnetic anomaly with its compass, leading to the discovery of the Shisanhang Site. Geologists and archaeologists subsequently came to investigate and found that this was a prehistoric site, which led to the establishment of this archaeological museum. The Shisanhang Culture belongs to the Iron Age in northern Taiwan and is currently the only confirmed prehistoric community in Taiwan to have iron smelting technology. It is not only the only archaeological museum in northern Taiwan but also the first museum in New Taipei City to receive certification as an environmental education site. The museum features three different architectural groups that convey a complete concept, symbolizing the imagery of mountains and seas, as well as past and present, constructed with authentic materials such as exposed concrete, sandstone, and weathered metal plates. The museum has permanent exhibitions of important artifacts unearthed from the site, special exhibition halls, and archaeological learning experience rooms, providing detailed information about the Shisanhang Culture, the Yuanshan Culture, and other relics and backgrounds of Taiwan's past. More than 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 formerly cannibalistic indigenous people would go out for hunting activities, but later began to replace such practices with these kinds of ceremonial items. Their daily diet consisted of fish, shrimp, and shellfish from the sea. Their lifestyle is not something we can easily imagine today, but the Shisanhang Museum offers a glimpse into it. Through rich and engaging methods, the museum provides detailed insights into the Shisanhang Culture discovered at the site, helping us understand what life was like for the Shisanhang people a thousand years ago. Additionally, it periodically hosts special exhibitions, sometimes introducing the historical trajectory of the Tamsui River's development, and at other times featuring archaeological explorations rich in scientific education. This allows visitors to gain rich knowledge while enjoying their visit, and also inspires children’s interest in history.
