Bridging Sunda and Sahul: The archeology of the border area between Asia, Australia and Melanesia in Southeastern Maluka, Indonesia

Throughout 50,000 years, Southeast Asia and Sahul (the former Ice Age continent which included Australia, New Guinea and the Aru Islands of Eastern Indonesia) have been connected via the islands of Wallacea, a biogeographic and cultural region with a mixture of elements from both east and west. This project aims to extend earlier research on Aru, west off the continental shelf to Kei and Tanimbar, crucial as likely stepping stone islands between Asia and Sahul during initial colonisation of the latter region and in maintaining exchange links between Asia and Australia/New Guinea into the historic period.