Paleo-landscapes, radiocarbon chronologies, and the human settlement of southern lowland and island Papua New Guinea

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

    Abstract

    Coastal and lowland landscapes played a pivotal role in the dispersal of our species through Pleistocene New Guinea (northern Sahul) and were the focus of increasingly intensive settlement throughout the Holocene. This chapter assesses the current breadth of archaeological and palaeo-ecological records for the lowlands (≤ 100▒m above sea level) and islands of southern Papua New Guinea to contextualise past human use of these dynamic landscapes. A meta-analysis of available radiocarbon dates (n▒=▒687) suggests fluctuating but generally increasing population densities from the end of the mid-Holocene as people adapted their settlement strategies to stabilising coastlines and expanding maritime trade networks.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationPalaeolandscapes in Archaeology: Lessons for the Past and Future
    Editors Mike T. Carson
    Place of PublicationAbingdon United Kingdom
    PublisherRoutledge
    Pages215-290
    Edition1st
    ISBN (Print)9780367689032
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2021

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