Human occupation of northern Australia by 65,000 years ago

Chris Clarkson (), Zenobia Jacobs (), Ben Marwick, Richard Fullagar, Lynley Wallis, Mike Smith, Richard G. Roberts, Elspeth Hayes, Kelsey Lowe, Xavier Carah, S. Anna Florin, Jessica McNeil, Delyth Cox, Lee J. Arnold, Quan Hua, Jillian Huntley, Helen E. A. Brand, Tiina Manne, Andrew Fairbairn, James Shulmeister, Lindsey Lyle, Makiah Salinas, Mara Page, Kate Connell, Gayoung Park, Kasih Norman, Tessa Murphy and Colin Pardoe
Additional contact information
Chris Clarkson: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Zenobia Jacobs: Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong
Ben Marwick: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong
Richard Fullagar: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong
Lynley Wallis: Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame
Mike Smith: Centre for Historical Research, National Museum of Australia
Richard G. Roberts: Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong
Elspeth Hayes: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong
Kelsey Lowe: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Xavier Carah: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
S. Anna Florin: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Jessica McNeil: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Delyth Cox: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Lee J. Arnold: School of Physical Sciences, the Environment Institute and the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide
Quan Hua: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Jillian Huntley: Place, Evolution, Rock Art, Heritage Unit, School of Humanities, Griffith University
Helen E. A. Brand: Australian Synchrotron
Tiina Manne: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Andrew Fairbairn: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
James Shulmeister: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland
Lindsey Lyle: University of Washington
Makiah Salinas: University of Washington
Mara Page: University of Washington
Kate Connell: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Gayoung Park: University of Washington
Kasih Norman: School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Tessa Murphy: University of Washington
Colin Pardoe: Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture, History and Language, The Australian National University

Nature, 2017, vol. 547, issue 7663, 306-310

Abstract: Abstract The time of arrival of people in Australia is an unresolved question. It is relevant to debates about when modern humans first dispersed out of Africa and when their descendants incorporated genetic material from Neanderthals, Denisovans and possibly other hominins. Humans have also been implicated in the extinction of Australia’s megafauna. Here we report the results of new excavations conducted at Madjedbebe, a rock shelter in northern Australia. Artefacts in primary depositional context are concentrated in three dense bands, with the stratigraphic integrity of the deposit demonstrated by artefact refits and by optical dating and other analyses of the sediments. Human occupation began around 65,000 years ago, with a distinctive stone tool assemblage including grinding stones, ground ochres, reflective additives and ground-edge hatchet heads. This evidence sets a new minimum age for the arrival of humans in Australia, the dispersal of modern humans out of Africa, and the subsequent interactions of modern humans with Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nature22968

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