New Clues on Early Human Migration

A study by ANU highlights a 42,000-year-old human settlement in Indonesia’s Tanimbar islands, offering insights into the advanced maritime technology and migration strategies of early humans in Southeast Asia.

New research reveals that humans occupied Southeast Indonesia as early as 42,000 years ago, providing new insights into the migration paths of the region’s earliest settlers. The findings, from a study conducted by the Australian National University (ANU), were led by PhD candidate Hendri Kaharudin. The discovery at Elivavan, located on Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands, is particularly notable for its implications on our understanding of early human migration routes.

“Tanimbar is located just off the ‘Sahul shelf’, which encompasses modern-day Australia, as well as New Guinea,” he said. “The question of how our early ancestors arrived there from Southeast Asia is one of the most captivating in prehistoric migration, mainly because of the vast distances covered and advanced seafaring skills that would have been required. There are two main routes that have been explored as possibilities since the mid-20th century – a northern path via islands like Sulawesi, and a southern track passing near Timor and the Tanimbar islands. This discovery marks one of the southern route’s earliest known sites, making it a crucial piece of the puzzle.”

Technological Advances in Early Migration