Current and Future Research
Evidence shows that modern humans were present in northern Australia as early as 50, 000 to 60,000 years ago, and by about 42,000 years ago in East Timor. But information about the initial presence of modern humans in Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands is yet to be uncovered…
Current research at Liang Bua has been extended to other islands in Eastern Indonesia, with the aim of shedding light on when modern humans spread throughout the region.
“We hope to obtain a picture of how ancient humans, both pre-modern humans and modern humans, were able to reach Australasia … and develop a historiography about the spread of modern humans, and even pre-modern humans, in the region of island Southeast Asia and also Australia” (Dr Thomas Sutikna, archaeologist)
Island-hopping Hobbits?
“…we hope that the next step will be for us to explore the border areas on the Sunda Shelf … the Sahul Shelf and in the area of the Wallace Line. By that I mean that we will try to bridge the gap between Australia and the islands in eastern Indonesia” (Dr Thomas Sutikna, archaeologist)
Homo Floresiensis Uncovered: The Science of ‘the Hobbit’
Homo Floresiensis Uncovered: The Science of ‘the Hobbit’
Reach your personal and professional goals
Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.
Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.
