Anthropologie最新文献

In the past five years, our archaeological research has uncovered evidence of iron making in the Meratus mountains, located upstream of the Barito watershed on the east coast of Kalimantan (Indonesian side of Borneo Island), as well as the Lamandau watershed in southwestern Kalimantan. At these iron industry sites, we discovered slags, ore fragments, tuyere, charcoal, and smelting furnaces. These discoveries provide new insights to address the debates among experts about the emergence and development of iron metal technology in Kalimantan/Borneo Island. Radiocarbon dating conducted at the Cililin 1 Cave site in the Meratus Mountains indicates that the earliest iron ore smelting occurred during the early Christian era (2000–1700 BP). Our excavations also confirm that this ferrous metal technology spread and was practiced towards the east coast and watersheds by the end of the 19th century. The excavated smelting furnaces suggest that direct smelting (bloomery) techniques were used to produce raw iron, based on the furnace shape, charcoal dates, and type of iron slag found. The shape and size of the smelting furnaces in Kalimantan remain consistent from the oldest to the most recent sites. This similarity suggests that there was little technological advancement in iron-making in Kalimantan/Borneo Island between the early AD period and the end of the 19th century. This finding supports the theory that iron technology possibly emerged and developed in Kalimantan several centuries BC.

Sangiran Dome in Central Java, Indonesia, is the most significant hominin site in Island Southeast Asia. Up to now, there are more than a hundred of Homo erectus individuals recovered from the site, and the most recent finding is an unpublished posterior part of Bjg 1602 skullcap, discovered by a local people in 2016 from the surface of Kali (River) Bojong, out of stratigraphical context. But, based on the hard concretion well attached on the fossil, consists of coarse conglomeratic sand and pisoid-limestones – defined for the first time by G.H.R. von Koenigswald as the grenzbank layer – this skullcap is interpreted originally from this layer. Stratigraphically, the layer is situated between the black clay of Pucangan Formation of Lower Pleistocene and the fluvio-volcanic sands of Kabuh Formation of Middle Pleistocene. Thus, this layer was deposited on the Sangiran site some 0.9–0.8 ma, which is the minimal age of the skull respectively. This paper aims to identify the possibly position of the specimen and its context to the Homo erectus evolution in Java. The specimen was analysed by applying the morphological and metrical descriptions of the external characters. Then, a comparative study to other African (n = 5), Asian (n = 7), and Javan Homo erectus (n = 23) was conducted by using univariate and bivariate statistical analysis, in order to place the specimen into evolutionary perspective. The result shows that Bjg 1602 skullcap is very closed in morphology and size to the robust Sangiran 4 skullcap (firstly known as Pithecanthropus robustus), which is one of the robust Homo erectus members from the Early Pleistocene between 1.6 to 1.2 ma. Thus, it could be concluded that the specimen of Bjg 1602 represents the last survival of robust Homo erectus in Java during the early of Middle Pleistocene, some 0.9 ma.

Sumba is one of the islands in the archipelago that plays an essential role in the migration process of Austronesian speakers. This island is considered one of the contact zones that can show initial interactions between Austronesian speakers and residents who have inhabited this island before. However, archaeological research on this island is still relatively limited, so it cannot yet provide evidence of the arrival of early Austronesian speakers. However, in 2016–2022, several archaeological studies were conducted in Sumba and revealed essential sites with quite old dates. This article discusses the new evidence found at several sites, notably Lambanapu, Melolo, Kambaniru, Mborobakung, and Wunga. Among the research results are individual remains, burial jars, and artifacts that can provide a new understanding of the history of Austronesian settlements on Sumba. Some of the ¹⁴C datings show that Austronesian speakers with a complex culture inhabited this island around 3000 years ago.

Song Toyapakeh is a submerged cave located on Nusa Penida Island, Bali, at a depth of 16 m below sea level. The cave is believed to have been inhabited by human during the late Pleistocene period, as evidenced by the large numbers of bones from Cervidae and Elephantoid families, as well as turtles, that are scattered throughout the cave. The presence of these bones raises questions about the past use of Song Toyapakeh by humans and the transformation of the island's landscape into a submerged cave. The objective of this study is to address the function of Song Toyapakeh during the late Pleistocene period, based on the animal bones found within. To accomplish this, data were collected using scuba method to record the morphology of the cave and to take samples of the animal bones that were likely used by human in the past. Macroscopic and microscopic observations were then conducted on the cut marks and burn marks present on the bones to identify evidence of human use. In addition, paleogeographical and paleoclimatological data were examined to understand the landscape transformation of the cave. The analysis of the bones revealed traces of trimming and burn marks, indicating that the bones were used as tools and as food source by humans. Changes in the landscape caused by fluctuations in the sea level due to climate change during the Pleistocene period are believed to be responsible for the transformation of the cave from an area located above sea level to one that is now submerged. The evidence of human activity on the faunal remains found in Song Toyapakeh provides strong evidence of the use of the cave as human occupation during the late Pleistocene period.

The correlation between language spread and the existence of archaeological remains is often debated when trying to prove prehistoric human migration in various locations. Numerous experts argue that language spread cannot always serve as evidence of human migration, as language and artifacts can diffuse without necessitating migration. This process may have taken place in Western New Guinea which is now part of Indonesian territory. In this area, known as Indonesian Papua, the influence of Austronesian culture has been significant for thousands of years. This paper aims to investigate whether there are any parallels between the presence of Austronesian material culture and the distribution of Austronesian languages in Papua, Indonesia. The method employed involves overlaying the locations of archaeological sites containing Austronesian material culture with the distribution of Austronesian languages in the region. The results indicate that while there is some overlap between language distribution and Austronesian cultural remains in the Papua region, particularly in parts of coastal areas and surrounding island, there are also coastal areas with high Austronesian archaeological potential that lack Austronesian language presence. This is especially true in the central highlands which are predominantly Australo-Papuan areas, where Austronesian cultural influence exists but is not accompanied by the language. This demonstrates that the presence of Austronesian cultural influences in the Papua region does not always have to be associated with Austronesian migration or the language, it is possible that the culture was adopted as a result of contacts that took place.

Java is one of the oldest places outside Africa which was occupied by early humans, from the first ‘archaic’ Homo erectus after 1.8 ma to the progressive form around 70-40 ka. Up to now, paleoanthropologists do not know clearly when the anatomically modern human started to colonize this island. Some previous scholars proposed scenarios which presumed to be as early as 125 ka, or just after one of the Toba eruptions after 74 ka, and or at least to the last glacial maximum about 21 ka. This research tried to contribute to the question about the history of human occupation in Java during the Late Pleistocene. Two unpublished deciduous teeth discovered in the Song Terus site are considered: ST06 is dated back from older than 80 ka and another tooth ST04 is younger than 60 ka. We compared both specimens with Homo erectus s.l., Neanderthal, ancient and recent Homo sapiens, to identify their taxonomical position. Morphological and metrical comparative analysis of the external and internal dental characters were observed. Preliminary results show that ST04 is closed to Homo sapiens while ST06 belongs to the Homo erectus s.l. group. It confirms that Homo erectus was still survived at least at the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, during the last interglacial maximum period (125 ka). Moreover, it suggested that Homo sapiens was probably present in Java Island after 60 ka at the same time as a renewal of the local fauna takes place. It could imply a chronological succession of occupations between the last Homo erectus and early Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia.

Several prehistoric sites have been studied intensively through surveys and excavations by the former National Research Center of Archeology. The extraordinary scientific information of those archaeological sites is barely conveyed to the wide audience. Realizing this situation, the Government of Indonesia, through the Directorate General of Culture (Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology), has established eight site museums for prehistoric sites and nineteen historical and ethnographical museums. The site museums are including: five clusters of Sangiran, three of Semedo, Song Terus, Gua Harimau sites. Although there is no generally accepted tight definition of an archaeological site museum, several characteristics stand out. An archaeological site museum is not just a storehouse for findings made at a particular excavation. It is a place for both research and education. That is why the site museums are realized in accordance with the provisions of a modern museum, not only to apply the modern techniques displayed for the audience, coffee shop and souvenirs, but also other facilities such as storage, laboratories, workshops, audio-visual rooms, seminar rooms, and researchers’ housing. The positive impacts of the construction of modern museums by the Directorate General of Culture is the number of visitors increase dramatically, as shown by Sangiran Museum. The community is immediately close to the museum, and vice versa, the museum is less distant from the community. The museum and the community come closer and closer, and the museum became a link between science and community.

The presence of Homo erectus in the Archipelago was identified very early when human remains were found in various ancient deposits on Java Island. The widespread distribution in the global Old World indicates their long migration route since they left Africa around 1.8 million years ago, spreading to Europe, East, and Southeast Asia, until finally reaching Java Island as the easternmost end of their migration route. Sea level regression during the Ice Age, which formed a land bridge across the Sunda Shelf, allowed migration during the Pleistocene from mainland Southeast Asia to islands Southeast Asia. Interpreted to have reached Java in the early Lower Pleistocene, their oldest fossils were found at Bumiayu, Sangiran, and Mojokerto. Their dispersal occurred for more than 1.5 million years on Java, with the discovery of younger Homo erectus sites in chronology. Discovery of the Middle Pleistocene Period were mainly deposited in volcanic layers of the Kabuh Formation in Sangiran, as well as Trinil, Kedungbrubus, Semedo, Rancah, and Patiayam. While related to younger chronologies, their fossil remains were found in the alluvial deposits of the Bengawan Solo at the sites of Ngandong, Sambungacan, and Ngawi. This assemblage of Javanese Homo erectus fossils consists of various anatomical components, mostly cranial and its fragments, complemented by maxilla-mandibular components, isolated teeth, and post-cranial fragments. Morphological, metric, geologic-stratigraphic, and radiometric dating analyses applied to these Homo erectus fossils indicate three evolutive stages among Javanese Homo erectus during the Pleistocene, namely – from the oldest to the youngest ones – archaic Homo erectus, typical Homo erectus, and progressive Homo erectus. The variability of earlier taxonomic names, such as Pithecanthropus (erectus, robustus, dubius, modjokertensis, soloensis) and Meganthropus paleojavanicus, are merely historical names given by researchers at the time and do not indicate genus or species differences. Within the evolutionary scope of Homo erectus in Java, there is only one genus (Homo) and one species (erectus).

Sumba culture is one of the few societies in the world that still preserves its megalithic tradition up to the present day. The tradition of constructing stone graves, which have been in place for hundreds of years, is a testament to the significant sustainable process of Sumba people. This paper discusses research findings that measure the sustainability of the stone grave construction tradition in Sumba, as well as several other factors that support its persistence. The research was conducted using participant observation methodology and included in-depth interviews to gather information regarding sustainability measurement. The data collected were analysed using Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS). The findings indicate that the sustainability status of the stone grave tradition in Sumba is considered unsubstantial. Among the four dimensions measured; the sociocultural factor is the most prominent factor that supports sustainability whereas the economical dimension is the weakest. Therefore, to preserve the heritage for a longer extent, the economic dimension of the tradition would require more absorption from participating parties in the society. Furthermore, this finding is important for professionals who stress the need for more cultural attention to the four supporting dimensions of the sustainability concept which has only been based on economic, environmental, and social factors.

Knowledge of the ancient prehistory of Indonesia and adjacent areas has undergone significant developments in recent decades, which have resulted in a relative complexity of models related to the history of the settlement of the archipelagos, but also demonstrate the multiple links of the archaeological register with the geological, climatic and environmental evolution of the region. Here we address a limited number of perspectives guiding current works, from the colonization of islands by non-human hominoid primates and hominins becoming early islanders, until the arrival of Homo sapiens during the Late Pleistocene. These approaches underline that since the end of the Pliocene, from the first hominid confronted with interruptions of the ecosystems essential to its survival up to the organized groups of navigators, the sea, the coastal landscapes, as well as the various tropical forest formations remain at the center of the questions about the prehistory of the Southeast Asian archipelagos.