Peopling of Australia (Sahul)

What was discovered

Anatomically modern humans crossed by sea from Sunda to the continent of Sahul, the earliest known deliberate sea voyage. It shows navigational capability and planning in the Palaeolithic.

Coordinates of the Madjedbebe rock shelter, dated by luminescence to c. 65,000 years ago; other researchers argue for 50,000. A discovery in the sense of first human settlement, not of European exploration.

What it led to

• The world's oldest continuous Aboriginal culture
• Extinction of Australian megafauna (debated)
• First evidence of intentional open-sea navigation

Built on

• Out-of-Africa dispersal of Homo sapiens
• South Asian coastal route

Made possible

• Tam Pa Ling: early Homo sapiens of mainland Southeast Asiac. 86-46 ka
• Madjedbebe seed-grinding stonesc. 65 ka
• Mungo Lady cremationc. 42 ka
• Aboriginal fire management (fire-stick farming)desde c. 10 000 BCE (discutido, quizá mucho antes)
• Primitive watercraft

Links

Sources✓ verified 2026-09-25

• https://www.nature.com/articles/nature22968
• https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeology-around-the-world/article-876882