This review of the evidence for ear

This review of the evidence for early agriculture in New Guinea supported by new data from Kuk Swamp demonstrates that cultivation had begun there by at least 6950-6440 cal BP and probably much earlier. Contrary to previous ideas, the first farming in New Guinea was not owed to South-East Asia, but emerged independently in the Highlands. Indeed plants such as the banana were probably first domesticated in New Guinea and later diffused into the Asian continent.
Recent multi-disciplinary investigation shave filled out previous,largely speculative
chronologies of prehistoric plane exploitation(Harri s1995)and confirm previous
interpretations that agriculture arose independently in New Guinea (Table3.New multidisciplinary investigation sat Kuk have advanced previous interpretations of prehistoric plant
exploitation in the Highlands of New Guinea in two significant ways.

First, multi-disciplinary lines of evidence(including archaeological,archaeobotanical,
palaeo ecological and stratigraphic)show that agriculture was practiced in the Upper Wahgi
Valley byat least 6950-6440 cal BP and probably much earlier. The evidence for earlier plant
exploitation practice sat Kuki sin sufficientrobe definitive of agriculture,as previously claimed (Golson1977a:613-5,1991a;Golson&Hughes1980;Hope&GoLson1995:824). The timing of the emergence of agriculture in the Highlands of New Guinea requires clarification
through greater interpretative resolution of the Phase 1 record at Kuk and the excavation of
additional sites with evidence of early Holocene plant exploitation. Second, agriculture may have emerged in the Highlands of New Guinea as opposed to the lowlands. Golson suggested that agriculture originated in rhelowlands and spreadwiih expand in g populations into the Highlands as climate same liorated at the beginning of the Holocene (Golson1991b:88-9;Hope&Golson1995:827-8). It is argued here that agriculture emerged from broad-spectrum plant exploitation practices in the Highlands which had enabled permanent occupation of the interior during the Lare Pleistocene.Glimatic (Late Pleistocene) and environmental(early tomid Holocene) for cing of existing plant exploitation practices ledr or hedeveiopment of more intervention is tand extensive strategies in the Highlands. Although the specific mechanisms remain uncertain,anincreasing focus 852 77 mDenham.SimonHaberle&CarolLentfer
on major sources of starch,including Colocasiarare and Eumusabananas, were central to the
emergence ofa griculture in the Highlands. Aswirha nearlier debate concerning arboriculture (compareKirch1989toSwadlingf frt/.
1991 and Yen 1996), agriculture in New Guinea was traditionally view edas being of South east
Asian origin(e.g.Sauer1952).The archaeological, archaeobotanical and palaeoecological
fmdingsat Kuk corroboratephyto geographic and genetic interpretations of independent
plant domestication in Melanesia and demonstrate that agriculture emerged in New Guinea
independently of any South-east Asian influence by at least 6950-6440calBP. Indeed,the
early Holocene Eumusa section banana sat Kuk solidify previous interpretations for the early
diffusion of domesticated plants from New Guinea and their subsequent influence on the
development of agriculture in Southeast Asia(DeLanghe&deMaret1999:378-82)and
Africa(Mbidaetal.2000,2001).Such fmdings open up new possibilities for interaction
between mainland South east Asia and New Guinea during the early and mid-Holocene(i.e.
prior ro Auscronesian dispersal into Indo-Malaysia and Melanesia)and require us to rethink
the origin sandspread of agriculture in the Pacific, South east Asia and beyond.

new evidence and revised interpretations of early agriculture in highland new guinea

Kuk Swamp is an archaeological site in New Guinea, that lies in the Wahgi Valley. It is the result of a former lake basin, filled by an alluvial fan or deposits of water-transported material. The Kuk creek must flow through the entirety of the fan to a catchment in the lower hills of the south region. Early channels that were created flowed this water past the reach of the fan. If these channels were to be blocked, as evidence suggests, it would turn into a swamp, diverting the water into smaller distributary channels. Evidence for early agricultural drainage systems was found here, beginning about 9,000 years ago. Features such as pits, postholes and runnels have been found at the site, which provide evidence for early agriculture. Such features are consistent with planting, digging and tethering of plants. Evidence has been found of irrigation draining ditches dating back to 9,000 years ago, with a number of plants including taro grown, at what would have been the edge of its cultivable limit in the highlands. These ditches can be divided into three types: major disposal channels, large field ditches, and small field ditches. The major disposal channels were built to divert water from the fan flowing south and direct them toward the northeast areas. The large and small field ditches are more uniform and surround the perimeter of the planting areas and then meet up with the major disposal channels. During this time, the people of Kuk Swamp transformed their landscape into an anthropogenic grassland suitable for agriculture.

During archaeological construction of the drainage channels artefacts were discovered including wooden digging sticks, a grindstone, and other small items. The ditches themselves were cleaned out and a small trench was dug to study the different layers of clay that have been used to construct the ditches. Different layers of clay used suggests and confirms different construction by previous people.

From 6,900 - 6,400 years ago further evidence has been found for the cultivation of bananas and sugar cane. Archaeologists have used archaeobotanical evidence to confirm the cultivation of bananas. Many banana phytoliths have been found in the cultivation plots of Kuk Swamp. Since bananas do not produce phytoliths in the same quantity and frequency as grass and other plants, researchers have been able to conclude that the abundance of banana phytoliths found in a managed grassed landscape between 6950 and 6550 years ago suggests deliberate planting.[1] The bananas grown at Kuk Swamp were Eumusa bananas, which stemmed the most significant and largest group of banana domesticates. This makes Kuk Swamp one of the earliest sites for the development of agriculture in the world.

In 2008, Kuk Swamp was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Review ini bukti awal pertanian di New Guinea didukung oleh data baru dari rawa-rawa Kuk menunjukkan bahwa budidaya telah dimulai di sana oleh setidaknya 6950-6440 cal BP dan mungkin banyak sebelumnya. Bertentangan dengan ide-ide sebelumnya, pertanian pertama di New Guinea tidak berutang untuk Asia Tenggara, tetapi muncul secara mandiri di dataran tinggi. Memang tanaman seperti pisang yang mungkin pertama dijinakkan di New Guinea dan kemudian menyebar ke benua Asia.Hari multi-disiplin penyelidikan mencukur diisi sebelumnya, sebagian besar spekulatifKronologi dari prasejarah pesawat eksploitasi (Harri s1995) dan mengkonfirmasi sebelumnyainterpretasi yang pertanian muncul secara mandiri di New Guinea (Table3.New multidisiplin penyelidikan duduk Kuk telah maju sebelumnya interpretasi prasejarah tanamaneksploitasi di dataran tinggi Papua dalam dua cara yang signifikan.Baris pertama, multi-disiplin bukti (termasuk arkeologi, archaeobotanical,Tampilkan palaeo ekologi dan stratigrafi) bahwa pertanian dipraktekkan di atas WahgiValley byat 6950-6440 setidaknya cal BP dan mungkin banyak sebelumnya. Bukti awal tanamaneksploitasi praktek duduk Kuki dosa sufficientrobe definitif pertanian, seperti sebelumnya mengklaim (Golson1977a:613-5, 1991a;Golson & Hughes1980;Harapan & GoLson1995:824). Waktu munculnya pertanian di Highlands Nugini memerlukan klarifikasithrough greater interpretative resolution of the Phase 1 record at Kuk and the excavation ofadditional sites with evidence of early Holocene plant exploitation. Second, agriculture may have emerged in the Highlands of New Guinea as opposed to the lowlands. Golson suggested that agriculture originated in rhelowlands and spreadwiih expand in g populations into the Highlands as climate same liorated at the beginning of the Holocene (Golson1991b:88-9;Hope&Golson1995:827-8). It is argued here that agriculture emerged from broad-spectrum plant exploitation practices in the Highlands which had enabled permanent occupation of the interior during the Lare Pleistocene.Glimatic (Late Pleistocene) and environmental(early tomid Holocene) for cing of existing plant exploitation practices ledr or hedeveiopment of more intervention is tand extensive strategies in the Highlands. Although the specific mechanisms remain uncertain,anincreasing focus 852 77 mDenham.SimonHaberle&CarolLentferon major sources of starch,including Colocasiarare and Eumusabananas, were central to theemergence ofa griculture in the Highlands. Aswirha nearlier debate concerning arboriculture (compareKirch1989toSwadlingf frt/.1991 and Yen 1996), agriculture in New Guinea was traditionally view edas being of South eastAsian origin(e.g.Sauer1952).The archaeological, archaeobotanical and palaeoecologicalfmdingsat Kuk corroboratephyto geographic and genetic interpretations of independentplant domestication in Melanesia and demonstrate that agriculture emerged in New Guineaindependently of any South-east Asian influence by at least 6950-6440calBP. Indeed,theearly Holocene Eumusa section banana sat Kuk solidify previous interpretations for the earlydiffusion of domesticated plants from New Guinea and their subsequent influence on thedevelopment of agriculture in Southeast Asia(DeLanghe&deMaret1999:378-82)andAfrica(Mbidaetal.2000,2001).Such fmdings open up new possibilities for interactionbetween mainland South east Asia and New Guinea during the early and mid-Holocene(i.e.prior ro Auscronesian dispersal into Indo-Malaysia and Melanesia)and require us to rethinkthe origin sandspread of agriculture in the Pacific, South east Asia and beyond.new evidence and revised interpretations of early agriculture in highland new guineaKuk Swamp is an archaeological site in New Guinea, that lies in the Wahgi Valley. It is the result of a former lake basin, filled by an alluvial fan or deposits of water-transported material. The Kuk creek must flow through the entirety of the fan to a catchment in the lower hills of the south region. Early channels that were created flowed this water past the reach of the fan. If these channels were to be blocked, as evidence suggests, it would turn into a swamp, diverting the water into smaller distributary channels. Evidence for early agricultural drainage systems was found here, beginning about 9,000 years ago. Features such as pits, postholes and runnels have been found at the site, which provide evidence for early agriculture. Such features are consistent with planting, digging and tethering of plants. Evidence has been found of irrigation draining ditches dating back to 9,000 years ago, with a number of plants including taro grown, at what would have been the edge of its cultivable limit in the highlands. These ditches can be divided into three types: major disposal channels, large field ditches, and small field ditches. The major disposal channels were built to divert water from the fan flowing south and direct them toward the northeast areas. The large and small field ditches are more uniform and surround the perimeter of the planting areas and then meet up with the major disposal channels. During this time, the people of Kuk Swamp transformed their landscape into an anthropogenic grassland suitable for agriculture.During archaeological construction of the drainage channels artefacts were discovered including wooden digging sticks, a grindstone, and other small items. The ditches themselves were cleaned out and a small trench was dug to study the different layers of clay that have been used to construct the ditches. Different layers of clay used suggests and confirms different construction by previous people.From 6,900 - 6,400 years ago further evidence has been found for the cultivation of bananas and sugar cane. Archaeologists have used archaeobotanical evidence to confirm the cultivation of bananas. Many banana phytoliths have been found in the cultivation plots of Kuk Swamp. Since bananas do not produce phytoliths in the same quantity and frequency as grass and other plants, researchers have been able to conclude that the abundance of banana phytoliths found in a managed grassed landscape between 6950 and 6550 years ago suggests deliberate planting.[1] The bananas grown at Kuk Swamp were Eumusa bananas, which stemmed the most significant and largest group of banana domesticates. This makes Kuk Swamp one of the earliest sites for the development of agriculture in the world.In 2008, Kuk Swamp was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.