When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

James F O'Connell; Jim Allen; Martin A J Williams; Alan N Williams; Chris S M Turney; Nigel A Spooner; Johan Kamminga; Graham Brown; Alan Cooper

doi:10.1073/pnas.1808385115

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Aug 21;115(34):8482-8490. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1808385115. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Authors

James F O'Connell¹, Jim Allen², Martin A J Williams³, Alan N Williams^{4 5}, Chris S M Turney^{6 7}, Nigel A Spooner^{8 9}, Johan Kamminga¹⁰, Graham Brown^{11 12 13}, Alan Cooper^{7 14}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112; oconnell@anthro.utah.edu.
² Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
³ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
⁴ Extent Heritage Pty Ltd, Pyrmont, NSW 2009.
⁵ College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
⁶ Palaeontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
⁷ Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
⁸ School of Physical Sciences and Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005.
⁹ Weapons and Combat Systems Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, Edinburgh, SA 5111, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture, History and Natural History, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
¹¹ Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT 0801.
¹² Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Land and Water, Winnellie, NT 0822 Australia.
¹³ Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.
¹⁴ Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

Abstract

Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000-55,000 years ago (ca 50-55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka. A recently reported age estimate of 65 ka for Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in northern Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea), if correct, offers what might be the strongest support yet presented for a pre-55-ka African AMH exodus. We review evidence for AMH arrival on an arc spanning South China through Sahul and then evaluate data from Madjedbebe. We find that an age estimate of >50 ka for this site is unlikely to be valid. While AMH may have moved far beyond Africa well before 50-55 ka, data from the region of interest offered in support of this idea are not compelling.

Keywords: Homo sapiens; Late Pleistocene; Madjedbebe; Sahul; anatomically modern humans.

Publication types

Historical Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Africa
Archaeology
Asia
History, Ancient
Human Migration / history*
Humans