Page 43 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

The distribution map of Early
Modern Humans in South
East Asia.

Callao cave
Tham Koung cave
Lang Rongrien Tabon cave
rock shelter
Niah cave Liang Samu
Golo cave
Toe cave
Lachitu cave
Liang Burung 2
Braholo cave Liang Sakapao 1 Liang Bua Lemdubu cave Huo Peninsula
Song Terus Wajak cave Lene Hara
Tabuhan cave Jerimalai rock shelter
Lua Meko

from Liang Bua in Flores. However, the taxonomic identification is still contested as either
a new species48 or Homo sapiens (Morwood et al., 2004).
Evidence for inhabitation without human remains from 30,000 years ago have been
found in dozens of sites, among which are Song Keplek and Braholo Cave in Mount Sewu
region (Jacob et al., 2006); Liang Burung 2 and Leang Sakapao in Maros-Pangkep, South
Sulawesi (Sémah et al., 2003, Sémah et al., 2004, Simanjuntak, 2002); Leang Sarru in
Talaud Islands (Bulbeck et al., 2004, Glover, 1981); Lua Meko in Rote Island (Tanudirjo,
2005), Golo Cave in Maluku (Mahirta, 2009), and Toe Cave in Papua. The Toe Cave so far
is the only finding of traces of early inhabitation (around 26,000 years ago) in Papua with
remains of lithic and bone tools together with marsupial remains (Dorcopsis muelleri),
types of wallaby, kangaroo, cuscus, birds, pigs, and mollusks. On the upper inhabited
layer were earthenware fragments of Neolithic pottery (Bellwood, 1998). All of these sites
show a wide EMH distribution which is not only limited to big islands but also found in
small islands. One of the big islands which is questionable is Sumatra but through items
found in the inhabiting layer aged around 15,000 years ago during intensive research being
conducted in the Tiger Cave, OKU, South Sumatra, the gap in the data is starting to be
filled (Pasveer, 2003).

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