Exhibition links ancient Austronesian activities with modern sports

Exhibition links ancient Austronesian activities with modern sports

2025-02-13

The 2025 World Masters Games will take place starting May in greater Taipei. To coincide with the games, the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology in New Taipei City is holding an exhibition devoted to ancient and modern Austronesian physical activities. Relics from Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Oceania relating to archery, throwing, weightlifting, rowing and ancient pre-competition rituals are on display. FTV reporter Stephany Yang takes us in for a look!

In ancient times, whether it was farming, hunting or expeditions, different groups held pre-competition rituals. One pre-competition ritual was the “birdman competition” on Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui. Competitors would compete to retrieve the first egg of a migratory bird from an island that was dangerously hard to reach. The winner would be crowned the “birdman.” An Easter Island "birdman" headpiece is displayed at the exhibition.

Peng Jia-hong
Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology
Resources are very limited on this island, so people had to fight for them. They competed to obtain food. The ocean looks calm, but there are many undercurrents, and great white sharks wander around. It showcases the spirit of sports.

The exhibition also features precious cultural relics relating to archery, rowing, throwing and weight-bearing collected from nine archaeological sites, along with cultural treasures from 17 regions in Austronesian-speaking areas. It showcases how life and sports played by Austronesian peoples have evolved over the years.

Peng Jia-hong
Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology
This exhibition is held before the World Masters Games. According to research, sports have many origins. One is the evolution of prehistoric life. For example, archery, rowing, or throwing were all part of daily life and then converted into the current sports we see.

The Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology is an archaeological museum that conserves and displays artifacts from the Shihsanhang archaeological site that is near the mouth of the Tamsui River. Ahead of the World Masters Games in greater Taipei in May, the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology is holding the “Exhibition of Ancient Life and Modern Sport" until Sept. 14, in the museum’s Special Exhibition Hall I.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

運動競化論特展邀民眾探索古今運動演變史

2025-02-13

十三行博物館隆重推出「運動競化論—古代生活與現代競技特展」，以創新的展覽形式揭開2025雙北世界壯年運動會的序幕，展出來自台灣、東南亞和大洋洲的有關射箭、投擲、負重、划船和古代賽前儀式的文物。一起來看看!

古時候，無論是農耕、狩獵或探險，都會舉行賽前儀式。在復活節島上就有一項傳統競技
「鳥人比賽」。參賽者要從島上出發前往另一座島嶼，取回第一顆鳥蛋，再游回復活節島。獲勝者將被授予「鳥人」稱號。此次也展出罕見的復活節島「鳥人」服裝等珍貴文物。

[[十三行博物館教育研究組研究助理彭佳鴻]]
"在這個島嶼資源很有限，他們會有很多鬥爭，他們用競賽的方式來取得食物。這個海洋看起來很平靜，但是有很多暗流，而且還有大白鯊在徘徊，這也展示運動很重要的精神"

特展匯集9個考古遺址的珍貴文物，有射箭、划船、投擲和負重等運動，以及來自南島語區中17個地區的文化瑰寶，展示南島人民多年來的生活和運動演變過程。

[[十三行博物館教育研究組研究助理彭佳鴻]]
“配合世壯運舉辦這個展覽，運動根據研究運動有很多起源，一種就是史前的生活演化，像是射箭、划船或是投擲，這都是在日常生活中常見的項目別，轉換成現在的運動”

十三行博物館位於台灣新北市八里左岸，是台灣第一座市立考古博物館，致力於保存及推廣十三行遺址的史前文化。為迎接5月的2025雙北世界壯年運動會，十三行博物館推出「運動競化論—古代生活與現代競技特展」，展至9月14日，邀民眾一同探索運動文化的傳承與演變。

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