The early Neolithic age of Ryukyu archipelago and the main island of Taiwan

The article focuses on the issue of emergence and continuity of pottery production on Ryukyu Archipelago and the main island of Taiwan, a topic insufficiently covered in Russian archaeological scholarship. Due to its unique location, Ryukyu Archipelago attracts the attention of specialists from various scientific fields. Located at the crossroads of traditions of the continental and insular parts of East and Southeast Asia, the Ryukyu Islands became the ground where two major cultural zones - «Austronesian» and «Jomon» - are formed. The archaeological material shows connections between the southern Ryukyu and the main island of Taiwan, as well as between the central Okinawa, northern Amami and south Kyushu. The question of origin and cultural identity of the first settlers of Taiwan is paid special attention in this article due to its controversy. In this regard, the analysis of the archaeological material from Ryukyu Archipelago and the archaeological sites from both sides of the Taiwan Strait makes it possible to trace the origins and stages of insular colonization, the features of cultural growth, the way of adaptation to the living conditions of the islands such as isolation, unique ecosystem of coral reefs, climate and sea level fluctuations.