Hunter-gatherer sea voyages extended to remotest Mediterranean islands

Nature, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 9, 2025

Abstract The Maltese archipelago is a small island chain that among the most remote in Mediterranean. Humans were not thought to have reached and inhabited such isolated islands until regional shift Neolithic lifeways, around 7.5 thousand years ago (ka) 1 . In standard view, limited resources ecological vulnerabilities of islands, coupled with technological challenges long-distance seafaring, meant hunter-gatherers either unable or unwilling make these journeys 2–4 Here we describe chronological, archaeological, faunal botanical data support presence Holocene on islands. At this time, Malta’s geographical configuration sea levels approximated those present day, necessitating seafaring distances 100 km from Sicily, closest landmass. Occupations began at 8.5 ka are likely lasted ka. These exploited land animals, but also able take advantage marine avifauna, helping sustain groups island. Our discoveries document longest yet-known hunter-gatherer crossings Mediterranean, raising possibility unknown, precocious connections across wider region.

Language: Английский

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Global Patterns in Island Colonization during the Holocene

Journal of World Prehistory, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 35(2), P. 163 - 232

Published: June 1, 2022

Abstract Analysis of the spatial and temporal structure global island colonization allows us to frame extent insular human cultural diversity, model impact common environmental factors cross-culturally, understand contribution maritime societies big historical processes. No such analysis has, however, been undertaken since 1980s. In this paper we review update patterns in colonization, synthesizing data from all major groups theaters undertaking quantitative qualitative these data. We demonstrate continued relevance certain biogeographic structuring how humans colonized islands during Holocene. Our also suggests importance other factors, some previously anticipated—such as culturally ingrained seafaring traditions technological enhancement dispersal capacity—but not, relationship between demographic growth connectivity, differing trophic limitations impinging on colonizing farmers versus hunter-gatherer-foragers, constraining effects latitude. connect with continental dynamics: both horizontal transmission farming lifestyles earlier Holocene, subsequent centrifugal processes associated early state formation later

Language: Английский

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A Darwinian Survival Guide

The MIT Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 6, 2024

How humanity brought about the climate crisis by departing from its evolutionary trajectory 15,000 years ago—and how we can use principles to save ourselves worst outcomes. Despite efforts sustain civilization, faces existential threats overpopulation, globalized trade and travel, urbanization, global change. In A Darwinian Survival Guide, Daniel Brooks Salvatore Agosta offer a novel—and hopeful—perspective on meet these tremendous challenges changing discourse sustainability survival. evolution, world's only theory of survival, is means which biosphere has persisted renewed itself following past environmental perturbations, it never failed, they explain. Even in aftermath mass extinctions, enough survivors remain with potential produce new diversified biosphere. Drawing their expertise as field biologists, trace path early days humans through Late Pleistocene beginning Anthropocene all way Great Acceleration technological around 1950, demonstrating our creative capacities have allowed survive. However, constant conflict without resolution made not unsustainable, but unsurvivable. Guided four laws biotics, authors explain should interact rest each other accordance principles. They reveal middle ground between apocalypse utopia, two options: alter behavior now at great expense extend civilization or fail act rebuild those same If take latter, then immediate goal ought focus preserving many humanity's positive achievements—from high technology art—as possible shorten time needed rebuild.

Language: Английский

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The biogeographic threshold of Wallacea in human evolution

Quaternary International, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 574, P. 1 - 12

Published: July 25, 2020

Language: Английский

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Evidence for Earlier Stone Age ‘coastal use’: The site of Dungo IV, Benguela Province, Angola

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(2), P. e0278775 - e0278775

Published: Feb. 24, 2023

The relationship between Earlier Stone Age (ESA) hominins and the southern African coastal environment has been poorly investigated, despite high concentration of open-air sites in marine fluvial terraces plain from c. 1Ma onward during Mid-Pleistocene Transition. Southern Africa provides some earliest evidence subsistence strategies since end Middle Pleistocene, (MSA). These MSA showcase role environments emergence development modern human behaviors. Given prevalence ESA throughout region, we seek to question landscapes much earlier time. In this regard, +100 m raised beaches Benguela Province, Angola, are key areas as they well-preserved contain a dense record prehistoric occupation beginning including like Dungo, Mormolo, Sombreiro, Macaca Punta das Vacas. Accordingly, paper critical review detailed presentation Dungo IV site, through qualitative technological analysis coupled with quantitative inter-site comparison contemporary sites. Through our analyses, highlight influence lithological resources on technical behaviors hominin groups, propose existence “regional adaptive strategy” landscape more than 600 000 years ago. Finally, argue for integration into hominins’ territories, suggesting that adaptation is actually slower process which begins “territorialization” well before Homo sapiens .

Language: Английский

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Hunter-gatherers journeyed by sea to Malta

Nature, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 9, 2025

Language: Английский

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Maritime networks as a vector for early farming/language dispersals: a comparative review

Quaternary Environments and Humans, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100066 - 100066

Published: April 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Middle Paleolithic Behavioral Insights from the Stelida Chert Source, Naxos (Greece)

Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology & Heritage Studies, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(1-2), P. 32 - 59

Published: May 1, 2025

ABSTRACT This article provides the first detailed overview of Middle Paleolithic activity at Naxian chert source Stelida, based on an analysis 780 artifacts collected from 2013–2014 survey. While several Eurasian lithic sources have been documented, most these sites relates almost exclusively to resource extraction and initial stages tool production. The material Stelida reflects a wider range hominin behavior, including not only evidence for various knapping traditions (not least Levallois discoidal core technologies) but also two concentrations target products, retouched types. argues that this greater breadth practice Stelida’s landscape affordances, namely presence springs rock shelters facilitated establishment seasonal camps, where those procuring likely engaged in food preparation, consumption, maintenance.

Language: Английский

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Estimating crossing success of human agents across sea straits out of Africa in the Late Pleistocene

Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 590, P. 110845 - 110845

Published: Jan. 29, 2022

Language: Английский

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Fossils, fish and tropical forests: prehistoric human adaptations on the island frontiers of Oceania

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 377(1849)

Published: March 7, 2022

Oceania is a key region for studying human dispersals, adaptations and interactions with other hominin populations. Although archaeological evidence now reveals occupation of the by approximately 65–45 000 years ago, its fossil record, which has best potential to provide direct insights into ecological population relationships, remained much more elusive. Here, we apply radiocarbon dating stable isotope approaches earliest remains so far excavated on islands Near Remote explore chronology diets first preserved individuals step across these Pacific frontiers. We demonstrate that oldest (or indeed hominin) outside mainland New Guinea-Aru area dates 11 800 ago. Furthermore, although early sea-faring populations have been associated specialized coastal adaptation, show Late Pleistocene–Holocene humans living in Bismarck Archipelago Vanuatu display persistent reliance interior tropical forest resources. argue local habitats, rather than purely coasts or, later, arriving domesticates, should be emphasized discussions cultural practices from onset our species' arrival this part world. This article theme issue ‘Tropical forests deep past’.

Language: Английский

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