Stone tools and foraging in northern Madagascar challenge Holocene extinction models

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1306100110
• Publication Date: 2013-07-16T01:07:37Z
• Authors: Robert E. Dewar; Chantal Radimilahy; Henry T. Wright; Zenobia Jacobs; Gwendolyn O. Kelly; Francesco Berna
• Keywords: Later Stone Age; Assemblage (archaeology); Midden; Projectile point; Rock shelter; Megafauna; Chronology

Past research on Madagascar indicates that village communities were established about AD 500 by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence earlier visits is scattered contentious. Recent archaeological excavations in northern provide evidence occupational sites with microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest coastal resources. A forager occupation one site dates than 2000 B.C., doubling the length Madagascar’s known history, thus time during which exploited environments. We detail stratigraphy, chronology, artifacts from two rock shelters. Ambohiposa near Iharana (Vohémar) northeast coast, yielded a stratified assemblage small flakes, microblades, retouched crescentic trapezoidal tools, probably projectile elements, made cherts obsidian, some brought more 200 km. 14 C are contemporary earliest villages. No food remains preserved. Lakaton’i Anja Antsiranana north several assemblages. The latest well dated A.D. 1050–1350, optically stimulated luminescence dating pottery imported Near China. Below series assemblages similar Ambohiposa. indicate at least B.C. Faunal pattern. Our shows foragers technology active long before arrival farmers herders many Late Holocene faunal extinctions. differing effects historically distinct economies must be identified understood reconstruct histories human environmental impact.