A5055894618- Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
- Island Studies and Pacific Affairs
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Environmental Philosophy and Ethics
- Photography and Visual Culture
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Australian Indigenous Culture and History
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Art, Politics, and Modernism
- Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
Australian National University
2015-2024
Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research
2018-2024
Australian Research Council
2021
The Wallacea Archipelago provides an extraordinary laboratory for the study of human colonisation and adaptation, yet few detailed archaeological studies have been conducted in region that span earliest phase settlement. Laili Cave, northern Timor-Leste, preserves oldest occupation this insular with a cultural sequence spanning 11,200 to 44,600 cal BP. Small-bodied vertebrates invertebrates were recovered lowest excavated levels, associated highly concentrated stone artefacts. We report on...
Remote Oceania was colonized ca. 3000 BP by populations associated with the Lapita Cultural Complex, marking a major event in prehistoric settlement of Pacific Islands. Although over 250 sites have been found throughout Western Pacific, human remains period are rare. The site Teouma, on Efate Island, Vanuatu has yielded largest burial assemblage (n = 68 inhumations) humans ever discovered, providing unique opportunity for assessing adaptation to environment colonizing population. Stable...
The occupation of small islands presents particular challenges for people largely related to limited terrestrial resources and susceptibility natural disasters. Nevertheless, the risks inherent in maintaining stable populations on can be offset or overcome through use maritime technologies exchange networks. archaeology Here Sorot Entapa rockshelter (HSE) Kisar Island Wallacean Archipelago provides an unparalleled record examining these issues Southeast Asia. is smallest known have a...
Significance We provide global assessment of the possible link between Pleistocene hominin arrival and island extinction. The existing records on islands around world do not support a significant detrimental impact biotas following colonization prior to Holocene. This suggests that models using extinctions as evidence in anthropogenic megafaunal overhunting, or extensions continental-level extinctions, need be reconsidered.
Meiolaniid or horned turtles are members of the extinct Pleistocene megafauna Australia and southwest Pacific. The timing causes their extinction have remained elusive. Here we report remains meiolaniid from cemetery midden layers dating 3,100/3,000 calibrated years before present to approximately 2,900/2,800 in Teouma Lapita archaeological site on Efate Vanuatu. mainly leg bones; shell fragments scant there no cranial caudal elements, attesting off-site butchering turtles. new taxon differs...
Caves have been an important source of vertebrate fossils for much Southeast Asia, particularly the Quaternary. Despite this importance, mechanisms by which remains accumulate and preserve in Asian caves has never systematically reviewed or examined. Here, we present results three years cave surveys Indonesia Timor-Leste, describing systems their attendant accumulations diverse geological, biogeographical, environmental settings. While each system is unique, find that accumulation...
Abstract
Abstract Previous research indicates that human genetic diversity in Wallacea—islands present-day Eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste were never part of the Sunda or Sahul continental shelves—has been shaped by complex interactions between migrating Austronesian farmers indigenous hunter–gatherer communities. Yet, inferences based on groups proved insufficient to disentangle this region’s demographic movements admixture timings. Here, we investigate spatio-temporal patterns variation Wallacea...
Vanuatu was first settled ca. 3000 years ago by populations associated with the Lapita culture. Models of diet, subsistence practices, and human interaction for subsequent occupation periods have been developed mainly using available archaeological paleoenvironmental data. We test these models stable (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur) radiogenic (strontium) isotopes to assess diet childhood residency past communities that lived on small (<1 km2) island Uripiv, located off northeast coast Malakula,...
We report archaeological findings from a significant new cave site on Alor Island, Indonesia, with an in situ basal date of 40,208–38,454 cal BP. Twenty thousand years older than the earliest Pleistocene previously known this island, Makpan retains dense midden deposits marine shell, fish bone, urchin and crab remains, but few terrestrial species; demonstrating that protein requirements over time were met almost exclusively sea. The dates for initial occupation at indicate once Homo sapiens...
Abstract The insular region of Wallacea has become a focal point for studying Pleistocene human ecological and cultural adaptations in island environments, however, little is understood about early burial traditions during the Pleistocene. Here we investigate maritime interactions practices at Ratu Mali 2, an elevated coastal cave site on small Kisar Lesser Sunda Islands eastern Indonesia dated to 15,500–3700 cal. BP. This multidisciplinary study demonstrates extreme marine dietary...
Abstract Archaeological evidence attests multiple early dispersals of Homo sapiens out Africa, but genetic points to the primacy a single dispersal 70-40 ka. Laili in Timor-Leste is on southern route between Eurasia and Australasia has earliest record human occupation eastern Wallacean archipelago. New from site shows that, unusually region, sediment accumulated shelter without occupation, window 59–54 This was followed by an abrupt onset intensive habitation beginning ~44 The initial...
Subsistence adaptations to coastal environments and the capacity take advantage of mangrove swamps has likely played an important role in success maritime colonization Southeast Asian Wallacean islands by modern humans. Yet, ichthyoarchaeological studies remain rare this part world. Bubog I rockshelter (Ilin Island, southwestern Mindoro, Philippines) yielded a stratigraphic filling extending from 30 ka 4 ka, including human-produced shell midden. Several remains marine terrestrial animals...
We report on tetrapod (Reptilia, Amphibia, Mammalia, Aves) vertebrates recovered during excavations at Tron Bon Lei rockshelter the south coast of Alor Island, eastern Indonesia. These include both archaeological specimens from a 1 m² test pit dating ∼21 kya cal BP to late Holocene, and modern barn owl deposit nearby. To discern between depositional processes that accumulated small numbers micro- macrovertebrate remains deposits, taphonomic signature natural assemblage was quantified...
Painted rock art occurs throughout the islands of Western Pacific and has previously been argued to have motif design elements in common, indicating that it was created within context a shared symbolic system. Here we report five new painted rock-art sites from Kisar Island eastern Indonesia investigate commonalities between this corpus Timor-Leste, independent nation forms part neighbouring island Timor. We examine motifs suggest that, rather than being Neolithic age, some figurative more...
We report the unprecedented Lapita exploitation and subsequent extinction of large megafauna tortoises (?Meiolania damelipi) on tropical islands during late Holocene over a 281,000 km2 region southwest Pacific spanning from Vanuatu archipelago to Viti Levu in Fiji. Zooarchaeological analyses have identified seven early archaeological sites with remains this distinctive hornless tortoise, unlike Gondwanan horned meiolaniid radiation southwest. These tortoise radiations may contributed rapid...
This paper brings up-to-date a report by S. Best of initial excavations at Naigani in 1981 (Best 1981). The results subsequent fieldwork 2000 include the excavation and dating Lapita-age ovens associated with early settlement extinct palaeofauna. These giant megapode (Megavitiornis altirostris), species Ducula pigeon, iguana (Lapitiguana impensa), probably endemic crocodile (Volia athollandersoni). Lapita site VL 21/5 dates from 900 BC represents an colonising within Fiji Islands. period...
Alarm over the prospects for survival of species in a rapidly changing world has encouraged discussion translocation conservation strategies that move beyond focus 'at-risk' species. These approaches consider larger spatial and temporal scales than customary, with aim recreating functioning ecosystems through combination large-scale ecological restoration introductions. The term 'rewilding' come to apply this ecosystem program. While reintroductions within their historical ranges have become...
The avifauna of the Teouma archaeological site on Efate in Vanuatu is described. It derives from Lapita levels (3,000–2,800 ybp) and immediately overlying middens extending to ∼2,500 ybp. A total 30 bird species represented 1,714 identified specimens. Twelve are new records for island, which, added previous records, indicates that minimally 39 land birds exclusive passerines were original avifauna. Three-fourths 12 newly recorded appear have become extinct by end times, 2,800 dominated eight...
Homo sapiens were adept at fishing in a range of aquatic habitats by the time they left Africa and reached Southeast Asia ca . 73 kya. In insular region Wallacea, humans adapted to significant maritime environment with sophisticated marine methods technology least 42 However, despite growing array evidence suggesting an early inland terrestrial adaptation on large islands this tropical region, there was previously no wetlands depauperate Wallacea. Here we present new both freshwater...