ISLANDS IN THE OCEAN OR THE OCEAN OF ISLANDS: THE STONE AGE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
Abstract
The data from archaeology and physical anthropology strongly indicate that all stages in the appearance of early hominids in the island area of Southeast Asia, and the subsequent occupation of this territory by Homo sapiens, are linked to the specific climatic conditions, as well as fluctuations in the sea level. This is due to the need to cross water spaces and to actively develop marine resources. The Early Paleolithic period in the region was characterized by the presence of several hominin species — Homo erectus, dating back over 1 million years BP, as well as Homo floresiensis and Homo luzonensis, after 700,000 BP. The arrival of Homo sapiens was recorded no later than 50,000 years ago, at which point it had already spread to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Australia. 8,000 years ago, the migration of people speaking Austronesian languages began from the island of Taiwan, which soon spread throughout Southeast Asia and absorbed the previous Late Paleolithic population. The appeal of the island concept is clearly evident in the search for new research methods that integrate efforts and data from various scientific fields. This has led to the emergence of new terms, including nissology, or the study of islands. This term is actively used in ecological, geographical, and historical discourse, but it is still met with some resistance among archaeologists, who prefer the more familiar term “Island Archaeology”.
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