七世紀到十二世紀（A.D600∼1200或1300B.P.∼800BP）之間，在中國正值隋唐 盛世，若從「中國」立場對「臺灣」有若干記載，也只是個遙遠的邊陲外島，但在臺灣本 島，卻是富有地方特色與傳統的臺灣南島民族的古文化。從地方上文化演進階段而言，這 一期間屬於考古學上的鐵器時代，也是臺灣最晚期的史前文化。目前所知，這時代考古遺 址大都分布在包括全島的沿海低地或沿海低位丘陵地。除了與新石器時代文化相比有顯著 的變化之外，這一時代文化富有地方特色而可能各與近代若干原住民族群直接關聯。筆者 主要依據近年來可取得之報告中所見的考古發掘資料加以彙整，提出具有地方特性的臺灣 鐵器時代文化的代表遺址，分布地區，以及大約年代範圍，從而修訂原先提議的臺灣史前 文化層序表。繼之，從足以顯示臺灣鐵器時代文化的總的特色，以及同時代各地方特色的 出土器物遺留，如陶器、石器、骨器、角器、瑪瑙與玻璃裝飾品，以及鐵、金、銀、銅等 金屬器，以及富於變化的埋葬方式與拔齒習俗等等方面作比較、分析的討論。最後簡單提 出擬以考古學資料解決上千年前古文獻：隋書所指是今日「琉球」或「臺灣」的問題的可 能科際研究途徑。

　　　　　Archaeological sites attributed to the Iron Age in Taiwam are mainly distributed along the coastal plain areas (see Fig.1).Most of them had been excavated in recent years, and yielded large amount of important archaeological material. Based on these findings and the chronlogical information, the author revised her earlier views about the prehistoric cultural sequence (see Fig. 2) in the text and pointed out some distinct cultural characteristics of this age synchronically and diachronically. The findings illustrate a higher technique of pottery making with geometric impressed patterns, and a stone inventory which differs from the earlier stages ,retarded in technique which appears to be related to an emerging iron industry .Eventually the jade industry which was highly developed in the Neolithic became extinct. The author also noticed the absence of the custom of tooth extraction. In addition to iron, many new items appearin this stage, such as implements or ornaments made from the materials of prosperous glass, agate, bronze, silver, andg gold. In addition, particular forms of burial were practiced in this stage, such as the prone and extended burials in wast central Taiwan, and the lateral and flexed burials in the north, and on impershable material used as coffins were found. The mentioned cultural traits of the early Iron Age of Taiwan were reported to be distinct from those of the Neolithin Cultures of Taiwan, and from those of the existing aborigines.