Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CaDHoKUHL (Characterising and Dating Hong Kong's Upland Historic Landscapes)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-09-01 bis 2024-08-31
In Hong Kong, the territory’s outmoded sites-buildings-monuments-focused cultural heritage legislation and a lowland archaeological research bias has meant that upland landscapes, which contain evidence of past human exploitation but are conventionally valued for their natural heritage, have remained poorly understood by archaeologists and were thus potentially at risk.
In order to address this gap in knowledge, the CaDHoKUHL project employed a GIS-based remote sensing study to identify and map ancient cultivation terraces in 2 distinctive forms in Hong Kong’s uplands and applied an historic landscape characterisation (HLC) to the uplands and surrounding lowlands. Geoarchaeological fieldwork involving optically stimulated luminescence profiling and dating (OSL-PD) revealed a 1,300-year chronology for the human exploitation of Hong Kong’s uplands. Intra-regional comparison of HK’s upland cultivation terraces with local slope risk data indicate that the terraces played an important role in the sustainable management of slope stability and soil conservation. An inter-regional review of the archaeological literature on upland cultivation terraces in East-Southeast Asia suggested that the 2 terrace forms identified in HK are locally distinctive solutions to a desire to economically exploit HK’s uplands.
Key societal outcomes for the study region include fostering better integrated approaches to the management of Hong Kong’s cultural and natural heritage, while also providing data to support the work of a diversity of local stakeholders concerned with landscape and community resilience and adaptation to climate change.
In order to address this gap in knowledge, the CaDHoKUHL project employed a GIS-based remote sensing study to identify and map ancient cultivation terraces in 2 distinctive forms in Hong Kong’s uplands and applied an historic landscape characterisation (HLC) to the uplands and surrounding lowlands. Geoarchaeological fieldwork involving optically stimulated luminescence profiling and dating (OSL-PD) revealed a 1,300-year chronology for the human exploitation of Hong Kong’s uplands. Intra-regional comparison of HK’s upland cultivation terraces with local slope risk data indicate that the terraces played an important role in the sustainable management of slope stability and soil conservation. An inter-regional review of the archaeological literature on upland cultivation terraces in East-Southeast Asia suggested that the 2 terrace forms identified in HK are locally distinctive solutions to a desire to economically exploit HK’s uplands.
Key societal outcomes for the study region include fostering better integrated approaches to the management of Hong Kong’s cultural and natural heritage, while also providing data to support the work of a diversity of local stakeholders concerned with landscape and community resilience and adaptation to climate change.
The project was organised around 6 work packages as summarised below.
*Training*
Under WP1, the Fellow received comprehensive technical training in GIS, geospatial analysis, HLC, OSL-PD, as well as training in transferable skills for career development, project management, teaching and dissemination, leading to continued employment beyond the project.
*Computer-based (GIS) data collection and analysis*
Under WP2, the project’s GIS-based study facilitated the identification and mapping of over 3,000Ha of previously unrecorded upland cultivation using terraces in 2 distinctive forms, which both required investigation in fieldwork under WP3. The work also produced the first (HLC) in East Asia.
*Fieldwork sampling and analysis*
Under WP3, 4 upland terrace groups were tested using OSL-PD and dating samples were processing and analysed in the laboratory at University of St Andrews. In the central New Territories (NT), 3 sites totalling 13 terraces revealed dates spanning the 12th to 17th centuries CE, while on Lantau Island the 3 terraces at 1 site revealed dates spanning the 8th to 15th centuries CE. The OSL-PD chronological framework established by the scientific research undertaken in WP3 represents a significant advancement of archaeological knowledge in the HK region, and it challenges conventional wisdom surrounding the timing and character of upland exploitation in the central NT, while opening up an entirely new field of study focused on the upland interior of Lantau Island.
*Comparative Studies*
Under WP4, the upland cultivation terraces identified by the project and slope-risk (landslide) data to better understand the role of terraces in long-term slope stability and management. The results showed that on the steep mountainsides there was a significant relationship between presence of historic terracing and reduced risk of landslides.
Under WP5, a comparative review of archaeological research on upland cultivated landscapes elsewhere in East-Southeast Asia revealed limited published work at Ifugao in the Philippines and Jiuzhaigou in China. The comparison of the findings of those regional studies confirmed that the HK terraced landscapes were significantly different in terms of the distributions, character and dates of the 2 HK terrace types. The conclusion is that in the central NT and Lantau Island we have two locally distinctive socio-economic responses, probably by quite different groups, to a perceived need and/or opportunity to exploit HK’s mountainous uplands using contrasting forms of terraced cultivation.
*Dissemination of Results*
The project’s dissemination strategy was designed to enhance awareness of Hong Kong’s upland heritage—cultural and natural—and build avenues of communication between different stakeholder groups both within the territory, and in the broader China-Southeast Asia region. The stakeholders could be divided into three main groups: Hong Kong government staff involved in the management of the environment and cultural and natural heritage, academics, and members of the public. In order to achieve effective dissemination across all those diverse groups, the strategy used a wide range of formats and avenues including the following: 5 open-access publications, 4 presentations at international conferences (1 each in HK and Macau as an overseas invited speaker), 5 open-dialogue workshops (4 organised with HK collaborators), 2 public lectures in HK each with a press release, 1 guest lecture at HK University, 2 seminar presentations to colleagues & students at Newcastle University, 2 non-scientific publications in a HK newspaper and landscape newsletter, a project webpage, and an open-access online dataset deposited at the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
*Training*
Under WP1, the Fellow received comprehensive technical training in GIS, geospatial analysis, HLC, OSL-PD, as well as training in transferable skills for career development, project management, teaching and dissemination, leading to continued employment beyond the project.
*Computer-based (GIS) data collection and analysis*
Under WP2, the project’s GIS-based study facilitated the identification and mapping of over 3,000Ha of previously unrecorded upland cultivation using terraces in 2 distinctive forms, which both required investigation in fieldwork under WP3. The work also produced the first (HLC) in East Asia.
*Fieldwork sampling and analysis*
Under WP3, 4 upland terrace groups were tested using OSL-PD and dating samples were processing and analysed in the laboratory at University of St Andrews. In the central New Territories (NT), 3 sites totalling 13 terraces revealed dates spanning the 12th to 17th centuries CE, while on Lantau Island the 3 terraces at 1 site revealed dates spanning the 8th to 15th centuries CE. The OSL-PD chronological framework established by the scientific research undertaken in WP3 represents a significant advancement of archaeological knowledge in the HK region, and it challenges conventional wisdom surrounding the timing and character of upland exploitation in the central NT, while opening up an entirely new field of study focused on the upland interior of Lantau Island.
*Comparative Studies*
Under WP4, the upland cultivation terraces identified by the project and slope-risk (landslide) data to better understand the role of terraces in long-term slope stability and management. The results showed that on the steep mountainsides there was a significant relationship between presence of historic terracing and reduced risk of landslides.
Under WP5, a comparative review of archaeological research on upland cultivated landscapes elsewhere in East-Southeast Asia revealed limited published work at Ifugao in the Philippines and Jiuzhaigou in China. The comparison of the findings of those regional studies confirmed that the HK terraced landscapes were significantly different in terms of the distributions, character and dates of the 2 HK terrace types. The conclusion is that in the central NT and Lantau Island we have two locally distinctive socio-economic responses, probably by quite different groups, to a perceived need and/or opportunity to exploit HK’s mountainous uplands using contrasting forms of terraced cultivation.
*Dissemination of Results*
The project’s dissemination strategy was designed to enhance awareness of Hong Kong’s upland heritage—cultural and natural—and build avenues of communication between different stakeholder groups both within the territory, and in the broader China-Southeast Asia region. The stakeholders could be divided into three main groups: Hong Kong government staff involved in the management of the environment and cultural and natural heritage, academics, and members of the public. In order to achieve effective dissemination across all those diverse groups, the strategy used a wide range of formats and avenues including the following: 5 open-access publications, 4 presentations at international conferences (1 each in HK and Macau as an overseas invited speaker), 5 open-dialogue workshops (4 organised with HK collaborators), 2 public lectures in HK each with a press release, 1 guest lecture at HK University, 2 seminar presentations to colleagues & students at Newcastle University, 2 non-scientific publications in a HK newspaper and landscape newsletter, a project webpage, and an open-access online dataset deposited at the Archaeology Data Service (ADS).
The CaDHoKUHL project’s landscape approach has demonstrated in Hong Kong the value of the type of holistic interdisciplinary research advocated by the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on Cultural Heritage. This important change has created the conditions necessary for cultural and natural heritage resources in Hong Kong to begin to be recognised, embraced, and evaluated as complementary components within the same landscape management plans. The project has identified, characterised and mapped widespread ancient human activity (cultural heritage) in the form of cultivation terraces for the first time across Hong Kong’s upland country parks. Such areas typically are valued for their natural heritage, and the research has therefore clearly highlighted the importance of Hong Kong’s uplands as heritage landscapes that bear witness to the long-term interaction of human and natural agents of change. The application of an innovative geoarchaeological dating method has also demonstrated the medieval origins of such upland terrace features for the first time in China.
The integrated and sustained approach to the dissemination of the project’s results in the Hong Kong and greater China region has already significantly raised awareness across multiple stakeholder groups. Moreover, ongoing discussions between the project team and colleagues in Hong Kong point toward results (outputs) being translated into tangible and positive actions (outcomes). For example, the landscape-focused approach developed in the project may allow better-integrated management of heritage between agencies, including those responsible for aspects such as cultural heritage, biodiversity and geotechnical risk. Sharing this new knowledge with government teams responsible for the management of Hong Kong’s protected upland landscapes also means it is likely to be communicated through public-facing content such as physical signage, websites and publications leading to an increase in public awareness and engagement.
The integrated and sustained approach to the dissemination of the project’s results in the Hong Kong and greater China region has already significantly raised awareness across multiple stakeholder groups. Moreover, ongoing discussions between the project team and colleagues in Hong Kong point toward results (outputs) being translated into tangible and positive actions (outcomes). For example, the landscape-focused approach developed in the project may allow better-integrated management of heritage between agencies, including those responsible for aspects such as cultural heritage, biodiversity and geotechnical risk. Sharing this new knowledge with government teams responsible for the management of Hong Kong’s protected upland landscapes also means it is likely to be communicated through public-facing content such as physical signage, websites and publications leading to an increase in public awareness and engagement.