Page 40 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

The dates of the existence of the oldest EMH in Indonesia has so far
been limited to around 53,000 years ago from Song Terus and around 45,000
years ago from Tabuhan Cave. Both are located in the Punung region, East
Java (Hameau, 2004, Sémah et al., 2003, Sémah et al., 2004). In Southeast
Asia, human remains which are more or less contemporary have been found
in Niah Cave, Sarawak, Malaysia dated at around 46,000 years ago (Barker
et al., 2007). Older remains have been found but they still need observation
and supporting data. One of these was the discovery of the third metatarsal
of a human skeleton thought to be Homo sapiens from Callao Cave of North
Luzon, the Phillipines with the date of around 67,000 years ago (Détroit et al.,

Fluctuation of sea level in 330 2004, Dizon et al., 2002). Another finding came from Kota Tampan, Malaysia
ka based on the data from Huon in a form of a group of artifacts under the ash layer of Mount Toba dated at around 70,000
Peninsula (Chappel, 1982). years ago (Mijares et al., 2010).
Based on the finding above and strengthened by the findings in Australia, the dates
of Punung may not be the oldest (Majid, 1990). It is believed that the EMH migration to
Melanesia and Australia was from Indonesia (Bellwood, 2000). The spreading out from
Nusantara to Australia and West Melanesia went along several routes (Birdsell, 1977). If
we follow this view on the existence of EMH in Indonesia, it should be older or at least
a little older than that in the Sahul region. However, it was most likely not like that. The
evidence of the early existence of humans in Australia, which was supposed to be the last
destination of migration happened to be much older, at 50,000-60,000 years ago (Habgood
and Franklin, 2008, Roberts et al., 1990). The disparity with the Indonesian dates might
have been because the research had not found the true oldest site or because any such
sites had already been submerged under the sea.
Regarding the earliest migrations to West Melanesia, the oldest dates for sites of this
region were similar to the oldest dates in Indonesia (40,000-30,000 years ago) (Gosden,
1995, Hope and Gosden, 1995, Loy et al., 1992). One of them was the site of a Fortification
in Huon Peninsula, PNG dated at around 40,000 years ago with the finding of waisted axes
in the volcanic ash layer. There are a good number of early sites that provide evidence
of EMH settlement in West Melanesia. These include the Lachitu Site near the border of
Indonesia at around 35,000 years ago, Kosipe and Nombe Niche at around 26,000 years
ago in PNG (Gosden, 1995, Groube et al., 1986). In the Bismarck islands there was the
Matenkupkum Site dated at around 33,000 years ago and Yombon at around 35,000 years
ago, Buang Marabak at around 32,000 years ago, and Matenbek at around 20,000 years

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