Ref ID:	37841
Ref Type:	Journal Article
Authors:	Mohammad Ruly Fauzi, Jatmiko, Thomas Sutikna, Fadhlan S. Intan, Sigit Eko Prasetyo, Harry Widianto, François Sémah, Truman Simanjuntak, Hubert Forestier
Title:	Further insight into the shape variability of handaxes from Indonesia
Date:	2025
Source:	Archaeological Research in Asia
DOI:	10.1016/j.ara.2025.100663
Abstract:	Bifacial handaxes from the Indonesian archipelago rarely get full attention, and a comprehensive study needs to be conducted on their variability. Not only is there a scarcity of numbers and a lack of a spatio-chronological context, but the limited information on Indonesian handaxes also generates difficulty in understanding their significance. Using previously published documented and grey literature from Indonesian institutions, we examine a total of 44 specimens of handaxes across the Indonesian archipelago. A fully digital observation was completed using classic-morphometric and geometric-morphometric analysis. The results provide essential quantitative insights into the often-overlooked aspects of shape variability (typology), symmetry, and cutting-edge morphology. Our analysis reveals that Indonesian handaxes from Java, Sumatra, and the Wallacea Zone exhibit similarities. However, applying multiple approaches to describing morphological attributes reveals subtle differences in shape variation. This finding indicates the timing for early hominin arrival in Sumatra, Java, and Wallacea. This study paves the way for advanced comparative research on Acheulean-related implements in Indonesia and Insular Southeast Asia.
Volume:	44