TY - JOUR
T1 - When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?
AU - O'Connell, James
AU - Allen, Jim
AU - Williams, Martin A
AU - Williams, Alan N
AU - Turney, Chris
AU - Spooner, Nigel
AU - Kamminga, Johan
AU - Brown, Graham R.
AU - Cooper, Alan
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1808385115
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1808385115
M3 - Article
VL - 115
SP - 8482
EP - 8490
JO - PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 34
ER -