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 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
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| Title: | New palaeozoogeographical evidence for the settlement of Madagascar |
| Author: | Blench, Roger |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Periodical: | Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa (ISSN 1945-5534) |
| Volume: | 42 |
| Pages: | 69-82 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs., maps |
| Geographic terms: | Madagascar Indian Ocean islands |
| Subjects: | archaeology prehistory immigration culture contact History, Archaeology Madagascar--History Paleontology |
| External link: | https://doi.org/10.1080/00672700709480451 |
| Abstract: | Archaeology in Madagascar has so far uncovered no site earlier than the 5th century AD. It is generally assumed that the early sites represent primary incursions by trans-oceanic populations from insular South East Asia, and that markedly 'African' features of Malagasy culture, such as ruminant keeping, were a consequence of subsequent trade or other contacts with the African mainland. But recent evidence for the palaeozoogeography of Madagascar together with vegetational change and the identification of cutmarks on numerous bones of extinct species all point to the presence of low-density hunter-gatherers from c. 400-300 BC onwards. Anthropic rat introductions also suggest outside contact prior to established Austronesian settlement. This paper reviews the evidence from palaeozoogeography and its implications for the early settlement of the island. The argument is that a fresh model of the peopling of Madagascar and early trade and migration on the East African coast must be developed. Bibliogr., notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract] |
