A Reappraisal of the Prehistoric Relationship between Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands: From the Perspective of Geographic Consciousness

The prehistoric relationship between the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan has
been long known but rarely discussed before recent years. This is due not only
to differences between the two areas and their languages, but also to an
academic preference to research relations between marginal areas and
civilization centers.
According to the present viewpoint, there are few specific prehistoric
artifacts showing a relationship between Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands.
However, such a lack of relations between the two adjacent places is itself
something worth explaining. For indeed there are some special phenomena
related to prehistoric studies on the Ryukyu Islands that may provide important
clues for understanding the relationship between Taiwan and the Ryukyu
Islands.
This paper begins by reviewing the important archeological phenomena
and questions related to the Ryukyu Islands. Secondly, it tries to explain the
lack of contact from different perspectives based on the archaeological data.
The conclusion focuses on the fact that for the Ryukyu Islands, cultural
stimulation came primarily from the north, eventually forming a geographic
consciousness at the same time that various ethnic groups were forming on
Taiwan. For the ancient Ryukyu Islands people, this deepened the mental
distance and hindered more intimate connections from being made with
Taiwan.