New insights into modern human behaviour at Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia) based on the temporal distribution of pottery and mollusks during the past 5,000 Years

Abstract

In addition to preserving a rich archaeological record spanning from ~190 thousand years ago (ka) until the terminal Pleistocene, Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia) also preserves a rich and relatively complete Holocene stratigraphic sequence with dense accumulations of faunal remains, stone artifacts, and pottery. In this study, the abundances of pottery sherds and various mollusk taxa were examined across nine stratigraphic units to explore temporal variation during the past 5,000 years. This temporal period is important because it is during this time that human populations living in this area shifted from a foraging to a sedentary, agricultural lifestyle. Using data obtained from new archaeological excavations at the site, the first aim of this study was to improve knowledge of when pottery was first introduced as previous research has suggested that this occurred either ~4 ka or ~3 ka. The second aim of this study was to increase understanding about the mollusk assemblage at Liang Bua in terms of its temporal range and taxonomic composition. Particular emphasis was placed on determining whether humans were responsible

for accumulating all or part of this large assemblage, which included 3,515 three-dimensionally- plotted specimens and 4,270 specimens recovered from sieved sediments.

The results show that pottery was most likely first introduced to the site ~3.3 ka and used regularly after ~3 ka, likely signaling a shift to increased sedentism or farming in this area. The main shell midden at Liang Bua was deposited between ~4.4 and 3.3 ka and includes mostly freshwater species. Interestingly, 63.1% of Tarebia granifera and 66.7% of Melanoides tuberculata recovered in Sectors XXXII-XXIX showed signs that they were deliberately cut at their apices. Deliberately cutting the apex of a shell is almost certainly a strategy to obtain the meat of the clam for human consumption. Furthermore, the presence of 12 culturally modified marine shells at Liang Bua suggests that, after ~4.4–4.3 ka, past peoples living around Liang Bua had strong social and/or symbolic connections to coastal areas either through their own foraging ranges or through trade networks with other peoples living nearer to the ocean.