| Abstract: |
The emergence of the Neolithic is considered to be a pivotal event in the history of human occupation of the Indonesian archipelago as it brought significant changes in numerous aspects of livelihood. Indonesias Neolithic was characterised by sedentary living, plant and animal domestication, polished stone tools, pottery, jewellery, bark cloth and ancestor worship. The Neolithic in Indonesia is generally traced to the culture of Austronesian-speaking people who migrated from Taiwan and entered the archipelago at ca. 4000 BP. However, new data from various disciplines reveal another probable Neolithic diffusion from Mainland Southeast Asia, probably by Austroasiatic-speaking people. Current dating results indicate this westerly migration route reached western Indonesia earlier than the eastern route migration from Taiwan, thus before 4000 BP. The subsequent dispersal of Austronesian-speaking people into the western parts of Indonesia influenced the Neolithic cultures there and resulted in the replacement of the local Austroasiatic languages.
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