The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in
northern Taiwan
Dublin Core
Title
The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in
northern Taiwan
northern Taiwan
Description
Although an in-situ exhibition after an excavation is ideal for public archaeology, it is also challenging for
several reasons. This paper compares the cultural heritage management of two coastal archaeological sites in
Keelung, northern Taiwan, from excavation to presentation to the public. In 2019, archeologists funded by the
government excavated the remaining structures of a seventeenth-century Spanish church at Hepingdao and those
of a nineteenth-century Chinese fort at Dashawan. Together, these sites reflect the rich history of Keelung and
the dynamics of regional maritime history, as the church is the only tangible cultural heritage of the Spanish
colonial period in Taiwan (1626-1642), and the fort is the only excavated archaeological site associated with the
Sino-French War (1884-1885). Moreover, the prehistoric and protohistoric cultural layers in both sites provide
critical data regarding how indigenous communities used marine resources and participated in maritime
networks. Although both sites were designated municipal archaeological sites after the excavations, different
arrangements were made: the trenches at Hepingdao remain open, and an in-situ exhibition center is planned,
whereas the archeological discovery of the Dashawan fort has been backfilled, even though the archaeologist
also promoted an in-situ exhibition strategy. This paper analyzes the environmental and social factors considered
and the consequences of the subsequent arrangements from site preservation and public archaeology
perspectives
several reasons. This paper compares the cultural heritage management of two coastal archaeological sites in
Keelung, northern Taiwan, from excavation to presentation to the public. In 2019, archeologists funded by the
government excavated the remaining structures of a seventeenth-century Spanish church at Hepingdao and those
of a nineteenth-century Chinese fort at Dashawan. Together, these sites reflect the rich history of Keelung and
the dynamics of regional maritime history, as the church is the only tangible cultural heritage of the Spanish
colonial period in Taiwan (1626-1642), and the fort is the only excavated archaeological site associated with the
Sino-French War (1884-1885). Moreover, the prehistoric and protohistoric cultural layers in both sites provide
critical data regarding how indigenous communities used marine resources and participated in maritime
networks. Although both sites were designated municipal archaeological sites after the excavations, different
arrangements were made: the trenches at Hepingdao remain open, and an in-situ exhibition center is planned,
whereas the archeological discovery of the Dashawan fort has been backfilled, even though the archaeologist
also promoted an in-situ exhibition strategy. This paper analyzes the environmental and social factors considered
and the consequences of the subsequent arrangements from site preservation and public archaeology
perspectives
Creator
Ellen Hsieh
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Hsieh, Ellen . 2023. “The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in northern Taiwan.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1972
Files
Citation
Ellen Hsieh, “The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in
northern Taiwan,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1972.
northern Taiwan,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1972.