According to the archaeological discoveries, Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Province yields the most typical and well-preserved prehistoric wetland settlements[aut]Settlement in ChinaChina. In this region, the development of prehistoric cultures is closely related to the natural environment and climate changes[aut]Climateclimate change. The earliest settlements[aut]Settlement of the ShangshanShangshan culture[aut]Cultural groups and technocomplexesShangshan appeared at about 10,000–8500 BP, probably accompanied by rice cultivation. Whereas rice cultivation was subsequently established, the following[aut]Cultural groups and technocomplexesKuahuqiao KuahuqiaoKuahuqiao and HemuduHemudu cultures[aut]Cultural groups and technocomplexesHemudu show strong maritime[aut]Marine environmentmaritime characteristics. In the LiangzhuLiangzhu period, the huge LiangzhuLiangzhu City and the peripheral water management system were built, which must be understood as symbols of complex society and early state. At the end of the LiangzhuLiangzhu culture[aut]Cultural groups and technocomplexesLiangzhu, floods[aut]Flood, flooding submerged[aut]Submerged most of the land, leaving behind thick sediment deposits. Only after 2000 years, in the Warring States Period (475–221 BC), this land became habitable again. With the establishment of a prehistoric chronology[aut]Chronology in Zhejiang provinceZhejiang Province, a lot of multidisciplinary[aut]Multidisciplinary research has been carried out, and natural science and advanced technologies are increasingly applied. The current archaeological research in Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Province includes the origins of rice cultivation and the emergence of civilisation, geological formation processes and climate change[aut]Climateclimate change, the spread of maritime[aut]Marine environmentmaritime cultures and further topics.