New evidence and revised interpreta

New evidence and revised interpretations
of early agriculture in Highland
Guinea
Tim Denham,' Simon Haberle" &C Carol Lentfer^
This revietu ofthe evidence for early agriculture in New Guinea supported by new data from Kuk
Swtimp 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 diffiised into the Asian continent.
Keywords: Mid-Holocene, New Guinea Highlands, agriculture, Musa bananas
Introduction