Human dispersal and plant processing in the Pacific 55 000–50 000 years ago.
More On Article
- The MicroStratDNA Group visits the ESRF
- Lange Nacht der Forschung 2026
- LEGION Project Led by HEAS Member Dominik Hagmann Approved Within the Heritage Science Austria 2.0 Programme
- Sexual Dimorphism in the Association Between Status Symbols and Body Height in the Early Medieval Avar Population from the Csokorgasse Burial Ground (Vienna, Austria).
- µCT scanning effects on aDNA and a multi-step workflow for archaeological petrous portions.
Gaffney, D., Tanudirjo, D.A., Djami, E.N.I., Mas’ud, Z., Macap, A.R., Russell, T., Dailom, M., Ray, Y., Higham, T., Bradshaw, F., Petchey, F., Florin, S.A., Roberts, P., Lucas, M., Tromp, M., Greig, K., Xhauflair, H., Montenegro, A., Hall, R., Boulanger, C., Ono, R., Oertle, A., Scholz, D., Spitzer, M., Szabo, K., Bertelli, I., Ribechini, E., Haberle, S., 2024. Human dispersal and plant processing in the Pacific 55 000–50 000 years ago. Antiquity, 1-20.
Abstract
The dynamics of our species’ dispersal into the Pacific remains intensely debated. The authors present archaeological investigations in the Raja Ampat Islands, north-west of New Guinea, that provide the earliest known evidence for humans arriving in the Pacific more than 55 000–50 000 years ago. Seafaring simulations demonstrate that a northern equatorial route into New Guinea via the Raja Ampat Islands was a viable dispersal corridor to Sahul at this time. Analysis of faunal remains and a resin artefact further indicates that exploitation of both rainforest and marine resources, rather than a purely maritime specialisation, was important for the adaptive success of Pacific peoples.