Two Clocks: A Comparison of Ceramic and Radiocarbon Dates at Macapainara, East Timor

Radiocarbon analysis and ceramic typology assessment are commonly used to date late Holocene archaeological sites in Island Southeast Asia. We apply both methods to date the site of Macapainara in East Timor, and they produce substantially different age ranges for this site. The radiocarbon dates are consistently later in time than ceramic typology dates from the same or adjacent stratigraphic levels. We assess the various sources of error for the two dating techniques that could produce this discrepancy, and conclude that the ceramic typology age ranges are misleadingly old due to concerted curation of fine ceramics by the site occupants. We discuss the implications of this for dating sites in East Timor and elsewhere within Island Southeast Asia

The Chronometric Holocene Archaeological Record Of The Southern Thai-malay Peninsula

A survey of the archaeological literature on the southern Thai-Malay Peninsula identifies 39 sites associated with chronometric dates suitable for quantitative analysis covering the Holocene, since 10,000 years ago. The essential criterion for accepting a date is an expected error of less than five percent in assessing the probability that the date refers to any of the 20 intervals of 500 years covered by the Holocene. The resulting documentation would suggest little changed occupancy levels for cave sites throughout the Holocene apart from a mid-Holocene dip. Higher levels of site occupancy are documented for the late Holocene than earlier times, due to the addition of a wide variety of open-air sites to the record. However, literal reliance on the quantitative results should be tempered with recognition that archaeological sites and their contents are prone to destruction with time or, in the case of open-air sites, preservation in contexts at inaccessible depths beneath the surface. Mid-Holocene and earlier open-air sites have been recovered only in exceptional circumstances, and so any review of the Peninsula's Holocene prehistory should be careful not to interpret absence of evidence as evidence of absence for early open-air sites. In the case of cave sites, some allowance can be made for the destruction of suitable dating materials over time. This allowance would point to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition at around 10,000 years ago, and an interval of elevated sea-levels at around 6,500 years ago, as the peak periods for occupancy rates of cave sites. These findings are discussed in the context of the probable commencement of the Neolithic in the Peninsula at around 6,500 years ago, and current issues in relating the archaeological record to the Austroasiatic (Aslian) and Austronesian (Malay) languages spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of the southern Peninsula

The Inside View On Makassar's 16th To 17th Century History: Changing Marital Alliances And Persistent Settlement Patterns

The alliance of the Makasar-speaking kingdoms of Gowa and Talloq elevated Makassar to the status of an empire before its conquest in 1667 by the Dutch in alliance with the Bugis, Makassar's local enemies. In my previous research I recognised three main phases in Makassar's history: a growth phase (circa 1500–1593) when Gowa expanded territorially, cemented by the marriage of local princesses into the royal Gowa line; a consolidation phase (1593–1667) characterised by reciprocal marital exchange between Gowa and Talloq and their surrounding polities; and a disintegration phase (1667–1700) when Gowa and Talloq became givers rather than takers of princesses. Recent translations into English by William Cummings of the texts on which I based my analysis provide the opportunity to test the validity of my three-phase scenario. Further, how political relations changed during the first two phases can be illustrated through reconstructing the geopolitical landscape of Makassar and its hinterland at four time slices: the early and middle 16th century, and the early and middle 17th century

Continuities in Southeast Asian evolution since the late Pleistocene : some new material described and some old questions reviewed

Southeast Asia of the historical present is a region of immense anthropological interest, a "human kaleidoscope" (Bowles 1977:189) where hunting and gathering tribes, settled horticulturalists and centralised states, and all shades of societal organisation in between, coexist in a mosaic network. The physical anthropology of the indigines also is diverse, and earlier scholars posited a number of 'types' to account for the variability evident. A classic in this vein is the brother Sarasins (1905-1906) "Versuch einer Anthropologie der Insel Celebes" where they synthesised the information then available to describe four types, a Negrito, Veddoid, proto-Malay and deutero-Malay type. However the past has not been silent: just as archaeological discoveries have remodelled the way in which scholars now view historical and contemporary southeast Asia, so prehistoric skeletal discoveries have remodelled the approach to recent southeast Asian variation

IDENTIFIKASI DAN INTERPRETASI LANJUTAN TEMUAN RANGKA MANUSIA SITUS LEANG JARIE (LJ-1), MAROS, SULAWESI SELATAN

This article aims to provide further interpretation of human skeleton from the Leang Jarie site (LJ-1), Maros, South Sulawesi. The context of this human skeleton comes from Neolithic period that associate with bone remains, faunal bones artefacts, lithic artefact, mollusk shells, pottery and ochre. Anatomical description, analysis and interpretation of individuals are a priority for comparisons with previous explorations. The updated biological aspects are based on sex, age at death, estimated height and the affiliation the of the individual. The method used physical anthropology and bioarchaeology to obtain more detailed observations of the osteology and biological aspects of the LJ-1 skeleton. The size of the LJ-1 mandible was compared with the average size of other modern humans in the Southeast Asian Archipelago and the Pacific region. The results show some changes to the initial distinctions that had been made. The individual’s height was between 157–166 cm, and he was a male with the estimated age at death of 30–49 years. Also relevant to the individual’s affiliation, the extant mandibular sockets reveal loss of the teeth before death (alveoloclasia). It is concluded that the LJ-1 individual belonged to a Neolithic society whose subsistence economy was characterized by the consumption of carbohydrates.     Artikel ini bertujuan memberikan interpretasi lanjutan terhadap rangka manusia dari situs Leang Jarie (LJ-1), Maros, Sulawesi Selatan. Konteks temuan rangka berasal dari masa Neolitik dengan asosiasi temuan berupa tulang sisa makanan, artefak tulang fauna, artefak batu, cangkang moluska, tembikar dan oker. Deskripsi anatomis, analisis dan interpretasi individu menjadi prioritas pembahasan dibandingkan penelitian identifikasi sebelumnya. Aspek biologis yang terbarukan antara lain peninjauan terhadap penentuan jenis kelamin, usia kematian, estimasi tinggi badan dan afiliasi individu. Metode yang digunakan yaitu pengamatan osteologi dan aspek biologis temuan rangka LJ-1 secara detail dengan pendekatan antropologi ragawi dan bioarkeologi. Untuk ukuran mandibula LJ-1, dilakukan perbandingan dengan ukuran rata-rata mandibula manusia modern di kepulauan Asia Tenggara dan Wilayah Pasifik. Hasil identifikasi menunjukkan beberapa perbedaan dibandingkan dengan identifikasi awal yang telah dilakukan. Ukuran tinggi individu yaitu antara 157– 166 cm, berjenis kelamin laki-laki dengan estimasi kematian pada usia 30 – 49 tahun. Berhubungan dengan kondisi patologis LJ-1, soket mandibula yang tersisa menunjukkan hilangnya gigi sebelum kematian (alveoloklasia). Demikian juga disimpulkan bahwa LJ-1 adalah bagian dari masyarakat Neolitik yang ekonomi subsistensinya ditandai dengan pengkonsumsian kaya karbohidrat.This article aims to provide further interpretation of human skeleton from the Leang Jarie site (LJ-1), Maros, South Sulawesi. The context of this human skeleton comes from Neolithic period that associate with bone remains, faunal bones artefacts, lithic artefact, mollusk shells, pottery and ochre. Anatomical description, analysis and interpretation of individuals are a priority for comparisons with previous explorations. The updated biological aspects are based on sex, age at death, estimated height and the affiliation the of the individual. The method used physical anthropology and bioarchaeology to obtain more detailed observations of the osteology and biological aspects of the LJ-1 skeleton. The size of the LJ-1 mandible was compared with the average size of other modern humans in the Southeast Asian Archipelago and the Pacific region. The results show some changes to the initial distinctions that had been made. The individual’s height was between 157–166 cm, and he was a male with the estimated age at death of 30–49 years. Also relevant to the individual’s affiliation, the extant mandibular sockets reveal loss of the teeth before death (alveoloclasia). It is concluded that the LJ-1 individual belonged to a Neolithic society whose subsistence economy was characterized by the consumption of carbohydrates.     Artikel ini bertujuan memberikan interpretasi lanjutan terhadap rangka manusia dari situs Leang Jarie (LJ-1), Maros, Sulawesi Selatan. Konteks temuan rangka berasal dari masa Neolitik dengan asosiasi temuan berupa tulang sisa makanan, artefak tulang fauna, artefak batu, cangkang moluska, tembikar dan oker. Deskripsi anatomis, analisis dan interpretasi individu menjadi prioritas pembahasan dibandingkan penelitian identifikasi sebelumnya. Aspek biologis yang terbarukan antara lain peninjauan terhadap penentuan jenis kelamin, usia kematian, estimasi tinggi badan dan afiliasi individu. Metode yang digunakan yaitu pengamatan osteologi dan aspek biologis temuan rangka LJ-1 secara detail dengan pendekatan antropologi ragawi dan bioarkeologi. Untuk ukuran mandibula LJ-1, dilakukan perbandingan dengan ukuran rata-rata mandibula manusia modern di kepulauan Asia Tenggara dan Wilayah Pasifik. Hasil identifikasi menunjukkan beberapa perbedaan dibandingkan dengan identifikasi awal yang telah dilakukan. Ukuran tinggi individu yaitu antara 157– 166 cm, berjenis kelamin laki-laki dengan estimasi kematian pada usia 30 – 49 tahun. Berhubungan dengan kondisi patologis LJ-1, soket mandibula yang tersisa menunjukkan hilangnya gigi sebelum kematian (alveoloklasia). Demikian juga disimpulkan bahwa LJ-1 adalah bagian dari masyarakat Neolitik yang ekonomi subsistensinya ditandai dengan pengkonsumsian kaya karbohidrat

Teknologi Litik di Situs Talimbue, Sulawesi Tenggara: Teknologi Berlanjut dari Masa Pleistosen Akhir Hingga Holosen.

Abstract.  The  Lithic  Technology  at  Talimbue  Site,  Southeast  Sulawesi:  Continuing  Technology from Late Pleistocene up to Holocene Periods. The Talimbue site at Southeast Sulawesi is packed with  lithic  and  these  offer  a  new  perspective  on  the  lithic  technology  of  Sulawesi.  The  absence  of information  on  the  prehistoric  lithic  technology  of  Southeast  Sulawesi  is  a  factor  of  interest  that makes  research  on  knowledge  of  the  Talimbue  site  necessary.  Lithic  artefacts  were  manufactured from  the  terminal  Pleistocene  to  the  Late  Holocene.  This  research  will  disentangle  the  details  of the lithic technology at the Talimbue Site. The analyzed flaked stone artefacts fall into 3 categories, which are retouched flakes, debitage and cores. For its part, debitage was classified into 3 categories, which are complete flakes, broken flakes and debris. The retouch index was also measured so as to provide a quantitative estimate of the level of retouch intensity of the retouched flakes. The results of  the  analysis  indicate  changes  in  the  stone  flake  technology  during  the  period  of  occupation  of the Talimbue Site. The change of technology occurs because the process of adaptation caused by a change of environment. Abstrak. Temuan  litik  yang  sangat  padat  di  Situs  Talimbue  di  Sulawesi  Tenggara  menunjukkan sebuah persepektif baru dalam kajian teknologi litik di Sulawesi. Kekosongan informasi teknologi litik masa prasejarah di wilayah Sulawesi Tenggara adalah hal yang menarik dikaji dalam penelitian di Situs Talimbue. Artefak litik digunakan dari masa Pleistosen Akhir hingga masa Holosen Akhir. Penelitian ini akan menguraikan secara detail bagaimana teknologi litik di Situs Talimbue. Artefak batu diserpih yang dianalisis menjadi 3 kategori, yaitu serpih diretus, serpihan dan batu inti. Serpihan kemudian  diklasifikasi  menjadi  3  kategori,  yaitu  serpih  utuh,  serpih  rusak  dan  tatal.  Pengukuran indeks retus juga dilakukan bertujuan untuk mengestimasi secara kuantitatif tingkat intensitas retus terhadap serpih yang telah diretus. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan perubahan teknologi artefak batu diserpih terjadi selama masa hunian di Situs Talimbue. Perubahan teknologi terjadi karena adanya proses adaptasi yang disebabkan oleh perubahan lingkungan

Climate change and postglacial human dispersals in southeast Asia

Modern humans have been living in Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) for at least 50,000 years. Largely because of the influence of linguistic studies, however, which have a shallow time depth, the attention of archaeologists and geneticists has usually been focused on the last 6,000 years--in particular, on a proposed Neolithic dispersal from China and Taiwan. Here we use complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome sequencing to spotlight some earlier processes that clearly had a major role in the demographic history of the region but have hitherto been unrecognized. We show that haplogroup E, an important component of mtDNA diversity in the region, evolved in situ over the last 35,000 years and expanded dramatically throughout ISEA around the beginning of the Holocene, at the time when the ancient continent of Sundaland was being broken up into the present-day archipelago by rising sea levels. It reached Taiwan and Near Oceania more recently, within the last approximately 8,000 years. This suggests that global warming and sea-level rises at the end of the Ice Age, 15,000-7,000 years ago, were the main forces shaping modern human diversity in the region

Cancer Experience of Care Improvement Collaboratives in the National Health Service in England

NHS England started the work described in this article with the ambition of using insight and feedback from the adult National Cancer Patient Experience Survey to grow coproduced service improvements leading to improved patient centred quality outcomes in experience for cancer patients. Based on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Collaborative Series, the approach of the Cancer Experience of Care Improvement Collaboratives (CIC) in the English healthcare system was developed, initially with 19 NHS provider organisation teams in 2019 as a face-to-face model, then developing into two collaboratives with an additional 15 NHS provider organisation teams in Cohort 2 and 8 teams in Rare & Less Common Cancers in a virtual framework. Each cohort has reported improvements in patient experience, staff experience and team working, but more fundamentally, have been able to describe a cultural shift in the way they work, together with people, leaving a lasting impact and legacy of this work. Key learning has been recognised with the increasing emphasis on involving people with relevant lived experience as partners and colleagues in the collaborative, alongside flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability as key to enabling project teams to continue where COVID-19 pressures allowed to participate. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Innovation & Technology lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this len

Mortuary Caves and the Dammar Trade in the Towuti–Routa Region, Sulawesi, in an Island Southeast Asian Context

Archaeological evidence from survey and cave excavation in the Towuti–Routa region of Sulawesi suggests the following sequence of late Holocene cultural change. Settled communities whose subsistence included an agricultural component had established themselves by the early centuries a.d. and began the use of caves for mortuary purposes. Extended inhumations are the oldest attested mortuary practice, overlapping in time with secondary burials in large earthenware jars dated to around a.d. 1000. The third, ethnohistorically described practice involved the surface disposal of the deceased, including the use of imported martavans for the elite, between approximately a.d. 1500 and 1900. This sequence of mortuary practices has not been documented elsewhere in Island Southeast Asia, although each practice has multiple parallels. The Towuti–Routa dammar trade, which was at its peak at the time of European contact, can perhaps account for the quantity of exotic items imported to the region but not the specifics of the mortuary practices