First steps across Wallace's Line: The prehistoric archaeology of Lombok Island

This project aims to investigate the prehistoric archaeology of Lombok island with a particular focus on the early movement patterns of people crossing Wallace's Line. Lombok island is the first 'stepping-stone' island east of continental Sunda in the archaeologically rich archipelago of Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia; the 'southern route' from Sunda to Sahul. The position of Lombok to the west and south-west of the better-known islands of Flores and Sulawesi, respectively, makes it particularly prospective for studies of early human dispersals and colonisation. The archaeological excavations on Lombok with be carried out as part of an innovative educational and research program linking researchers and students at the two universities of the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia, and the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.