TY - JOUR
T1 - New evidence of megafaunal bone damage indicates late colonization of Madagascar
AU - Anderson, Atholl
AU - Clark, Geoffrey
AU - Haberle, Simon
AU - Higham, Tom
AU - Nowak-Kemp, Malgosia
AU - Prendergast, Amy
AU - Radimilahy, Chantal
AU - Rakotozafy, Lucien M
AU - Ramilisonina, R
AU - Schwenninger, J
AU - Virah-Sawmy, Malika
AU - Camens, Aaron
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - The estimated period in which human colonization of Madagascar began has expanded recently to 5000-1000 y B.P., six times its range in 1990, prompting revised thinking about early migration sources, routes, maritime capability and environmental changes. Cited evidence of colonization age includes anthropogenic palaeoecological data 2500-2000 y B.P., megafaunal butchery marks 4200-1900 y B.P. and OSL dating to 4400 y B.P. of the Lakaton'i Anja occupation site. Using large samples of newly-excavated bone from sites in which megafaunal butchery was earlier dated >2000 y B.P. we find no butchery marks until ?1200 y B.P., with associated sedimentary and palynological data of initial human impact about the same time. Close analysis of the Lakaton'i Anja chronology suggests the site dates <1500 y B.P. Diverse evidence from bone damage, palaeoecology, genomic and linguistic history, archaeology, introduced biota and seafaring capability indicate initial human colonization of Madagascar 1350-1100 y B.P.
AB - The estimated period in which human colonization of Madagascar began has expanded recently to 5000-1000 y B.P., six times its range in 1990, prompting revised thinking about early migration sources, routes, maritime capability and environmental changes. Cited evidence of colonization age includes anthropogenic palaeoecological data 2500-2000 y B.P., megafaunal butchery marks 4200-1900 y B.P. and OSL dating to 4400 y B.P. of the Lakaton'i Anja occupation site. Using large samples of newly-excavated bone from sites in which megafaunal butchery was earlier dated >2000 y B.P. we find no butchery marks until ?1200 y B.P., with associated sedimentary and palynological data of initial human impact about the same time. Close analysis of the Lakaton'i Anja chronology suggests the site dates <1500 y B.P. Diverse evidence from bone damage, palaeoecology, genomic and linguistic history, archaeology, introduced biota and seafaring capability indicate initial human colonization of Madagascar 1350-1100 y B.P.
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0204368
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0204368
M3 - Article
VL - 13
SP - 14pp
JO - PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science)
JF - PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science)
IS - 10
ER -