Additional evidence for early modern human morphological diversity in Southeast Asia at Tam Pa Ling, Laos

Shackelford, Laura; Demeter, Fabrice; Westaway, Kira; Duringer, Philippe; Ponche, Jean Luc; Sayavongkhamdy, Thongsa; Zhao, Jian‐xin; Barnes, Lydia; Boyon, Marc; Sichanthongtip, Phonephanh; Sénégas, Frank; Patole-Edoumba, Élise; Coppens, Yves; Dumoncel, Jean; Bacon, Anne Marie

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2016.12.002

Cited by 38 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…This is broadly in agreement with the previous AAR estimations 14 , regional biostratigraphic correlations 11 and regional sea-level reconstructions 21 enabling the appearance of a modern rainforest community in Sumatra during a period of connection to other Sunda landmasses. The presence of modern humans in Sumatra between 73-63 kyr is significantly older (~20 kyr e.g., 22 ) than previous skeletal records in ISEA, but is consistent with new evidence for a human presence in northern Laos 70-46 kyr 23 , with genetics-based estimates of AMH presence in Asia prior to the Younger Toba Eruption 3 (although recent recalibration places it at 71.6 kyr 24 ), and with stone tool evidence from Asia 25. This minimum arrival date also agrees with mtDNA prediction of AMH in Southeast Asia at 79-75 kyr 2 . While it is at odds with popular estimates of an MIS 4 exit from Africa 3 , it supports more recent lines of evidence that argue for an earlier exit from Africa 26 .…”

supporting

confidence: 83%

“…This new chronology for modern human arrival in Indonesia supports calls for a reassessment of the timing and environmental context of human movement out of Africa. An age of 73-63 kyr is consistent with mtDNA predictions 2 and emerging palaeoanthropological data from the broader region 23 . Our study provides unique insights into the chronological and environmental framework of dispersals through the region.…”

supporting

confidence: 80%

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An early modern human presence in Sumatra 73,000–63,000 years ago

Westaway

Louys

Awe³

et al. 2017

Nature

220

172

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Genetic evidence for anatomically modern humans (AMH) out of Africa before 75 thousand years ago (ka) and in island southeast Asia (ISEA) before 60 ka (93-61 ka) predates accepted archaeological records of occupation in the region. Claims that AMH arrived in ISEA before 60 ka (ref. 4) have been supported only by equivocal or non-skeletal evidence. AMH evidence from this period is rare and lacks robust chronologies owing to a lack of direct dating applications, poor preservation and/or excavation strategies and questionable taxonomic identifications. Lida Ajer is a Sumatran Pleistocene cave with a rich rainforest fauna associated with fossil human teeth. The importance of the site is unclear owing to unsupported taxonomic identification of these fossils and uncertainties regarding the age of the deposit, therefore it is rarely considered in models of human dispersal. Here we reinvestigate Lida Ajer to identify the teeth confidently and establish a robust chronology using an integrated dating approach. Using enamel-dentine junction morphology, enamel thickness and comparative morphology, we show that the teeth are unequivocally AMH. Luminescence and uranium-series techniques applied to bone-bearing sediments and speleothems, and coupled uranium-series and electron spin resonance dating of mammalian teeth, place modern humans in Sumatra between 73 and 63 ka. This age is consistent with biostratigraphic estimations, palaeoclimate and sea-level reconstructions, and genetic evidence for a pre-60 ka arrival of AMH into ISEA. Lida Ajer represents, to our knowledge, the earliest evidence of rainforest occupation by AMH, and underscores the importance of reassessing the timing and environmental context of the dispersal of modern humans out of Africa.

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supporting

confidence: 83%

supporting

confidence: 80%

An early modern human presence in Sumatra 73,000–63,000 years ago

Westaway

Louys

Awe³

et al. 2017

Nature

220

172

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“…This often works well for dating flowstone but is questionable with bone, which may lose or take up uranium from surrounding sediments after burial, making it difficult to establish a baseline uranium content. The issue is especially important in the case of TPL 1 (Laos), a set of cranial and other elements characterized as "essentially modern" H. sapiens (23)(24)(25). These remains were redeposited from another location into sediments dated by luminescence at 40-50 ka.…”

Section: Fossil Evidence For Amh Presencementioning

confidence: 99%

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

O’Connell

Allen

Williams

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

199

160

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Anatomically modern humans (, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000-55,000 years ago ( 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.

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“…Hominin fossils in MSEA are restricted to heavily worn teeth or bone fragments, predominantly found in cave breccias or other sediments with uncertain depositional histories or equivocal chronologies. Recent fossil discoveries have pushed back the projected arrival of anatomically modern humans (AMH) in the region into Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4, 57 thousand years ago (ka) or earlier (Demeter et al, ; Rabett, ; Shackelford et al, ; Westaway et al, ), while morphological and genetic studies of fossil and modern populations hint at a complex history of interactions between diverse hominin species, including successive waves of modern humans (Bae, Douka, & Petraglia, ; Corny et al, ; Lipson et al, ; Liu et al, ; McColl et al, ; Sikora, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent fossil discoveries have pushed back the projected arrival of anatomically modern humans (AMH) in the region into Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4, 57 thousand years ago (ka) or earlier Rabett, 2018;Shackelford et al, 2018;Westaway et al, 2017), while morphological and genetic studies of fossil and modern populations hint at a complex history of interactions between diverse hominin species, including successive waves of modern humans (Bae, Douka, & Petraglia, 2017;Corny et al, 2017;Lipson et al, 2018;Liu et al, 2015;McColl et al, 2018;Sikora, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Pleistocene geoarchaeology and geochronology of Con Moong Cave, North Vietnam: Site formation processes and hominin activity in the humid tropics

McAdams

Morley²,

Fu³

et al. 2019

Geoarchaeology

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This paper presents the results of geoarchaeological and geochronological investigations at Con Moong Cave, North Vietnam. Beneath the published, terminal Pleistocene sequence, recent excavations have uncovered a ~5 m stratigraphic sequence containing flaked stone artifacts and sedimentary features that indicate extensive post‐depositional change. As the effects of tropical conditions on Pleistocene cave sediments are poorly resolved, a range of complementary techniques was selected to reconstruct the nature of on‐site sedimentation and occupation, while assessing the taphonomy of archaeological and palaeoecological materials. Our approach incorporates microstratigraphic, geochemical and sedimentological analyses, using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating to estimate the time of sediment deposition in the cave. This case study has broad application to tropical zones worldwide. Sedimentation began in early Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4, while micromorphologically observed human occupation commenced before 42 thousand years ago (ka). By placing our results within the context of published, high‐resolution regional records of climate, we demonstrate that on‐site rhythms of Pleistocene occupation correlated with environmental changes in the region. During MIS 3, episodic abandonment of the site coincided with periods of drier conditions, while rapid climate fluctuations in MIS 2 corresponded with short‐lived occupation events and a switch to predominantly geogenic deposition in the cave.

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Additional evidence for early modern human morphological diversity in Southeast Asia at Tam Pa Ling, Laos

Cited by 38 publications

References 58 publications

An early modern human presence in Sumatra 73,000–63,000 years ago

An early modern human presence in Sumatra 73,000–63,000 years ago

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

The Pleistocene geoarchaeology and geochronology of Con Moong Cave, North Vietnam: Site formation processes and hominin activity in the humid tropics

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