Files and links (2)
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Physiography, foraging mobility, and the first peopling of Sahul
Nature communications, Vol.15, 3430
23/04/2024
PMID: 38653772
Metrics
1 Record Views
Abstract
The route and speed of migration into Sahul by Homo sapiens remain a major research question in archaeology. Here, we introduce an approach which models the impact of the physical environment on human mobility by combining time-evolving landscapes with Lévy walk foraging patterns, this latter accounting for a combination of short-distance steps and occasional longer moves that hunter-gatherers likely utilised for efficient exploration of new environments. Our results suggest a wave of dispersal radiating across Sahul following riverine corridors and coastlines. Estimated migration speeds, based on archaeological sites and predicted travelled distances, fall within previously reported range from Sahul and other regions. From our mechanistic movement simulations, we then analyse the likelihood of archaeological sites and highlight areas in Australia that hold archaeological potential. Our approach complements existing methods and provides interesting perspectives on the Pleistocene archaeology of Sahul that could be applied to other regions around the world.
Details
- Title
- Physiography, foraging mobility, and the first peopling of Sahul
- Creators
- Tristan Salles - University of SydneyRenaud Joannes-Boyau - Southern Cross UniversityIan Moffat - Southern Cross UniversityLaurent Husson - Université Grenoble AlpesManon Lorcery - Université Grenoble Alpes
- Publication Details
- Nature communications, Vol.15, 3430
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Grant note
- FT220100184 / Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) IC190100031 / Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) DP220100195 / Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Identifiers
- 991013181295002368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2024. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article