Humans on Madagascar and Avian Megafauna (1 Viewer)

James Hansford, Patricia C. Wright, Armand Rasoamiaramanana, Ventura R. Pérez, Laurie R. Godfrey, David Errickson, Tim Thompson & Samuel T. Turvey, 2018

Early Holocene human presence in Madagascar evidenced by exploitation of avian megafauna

Science Advances. 4 (9): eaat6925. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aat6925

Abstract:

Previous research suggests that people first arrived on Madagascar by ~2500 years before present (years B.P.). This hypothesis is consistent with butchery marks on extinct lemur bones from ~2400 years B.P. and perhaps with archaeological evidence of human presence from ~4000 years B.P. We report >10,500-year-old human-modified bones for the extinct elephant birds Aepyornis and Mullerornis, which show perimortem chop marks, cut marks, and depression fractures consistent with immobilization and dismemberment. Our evidence for anthropogenic perimortem modification of directly dated bones represents the earliest indication of humans in Madagascar, predating all other archaeological and genetic evidence by >6000 years and changing our understanding of the history of human colonization of Madagascar. This revision of Madagascar’s prehistory suggests prolonged human-faunal coexistence with limited biodiversity loss.

Free pdf: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/advances/4/9/eaat6925.full.pdf

Enjoy,

Fred

Late colonization of Madagascar

Atholl Anderson, Geoffrey Clark, Simon Haberle, Tom Higham, Malgosia Nowak-Kemp, Amy Prendergast, Chantal Radimilahy, Lucien M. Rakotozafy, Ramilisonina, Jean-Luc Schwenninger, Malika Virah-Sawmy, Aaron Camens, 2018

New evidence of megafaunal bone damage indicates late colonization of Madagascar

PLoS ONE 13(10): e0204368

Abstract:

The estimated period in which human colonization of Madagascar began has expanded recently to 5000±1000 y B.P., six times its range in 1990, prompting revised thinking about early migration sources, routes, maritime capability and environmental changes. Cited evidence of colonization age includes anthropogenic palaeoecological data 2500±2000 y B.P., megafaunal butchery marks 4200±1900 y B.P. and OSL dating to 4400 y B.P. of the Lakaton'i Anja occupation site. Using large samples of newly-excavated bone from sites in which megafaunal butchery was earlier dated >2000 y B.P. we find no butchery marks until ~1200 y B.P., with associated sedimentary and palynological data of initial human impact about the same time. Close analysis of the Lakaton'i Anja chronology suggests the site dates <1500 y B.P. Diverse evidence from bone damage, palaeoecology, genomic and linguistic history, archaeology, introduced biota and seafaring capability indicate initial human colonization of Madagascar 1350±1100 y B.P.

Free pdf: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204368&type=printable

Enjoy,

Fred