Dental Modifications Indicate Social Identity in the Insular Region of Wallacea, Indonesia 3634–2268 Cal BP

The dispersal of Austronesian‐speaking people across Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific during the Late Holocene was associated with the spread of shared cultural practices, including intentional dental modifications. These practices, like tooth ablation and dental staining (likely with betel quid), are interpreted as embodied expressions of social identity, kinship, and community belonging. This study reviews evidence of dental modifications in Indonesia and presents new bioarcheological data from the recently excavated Kolana cemetery on Alor Island, Indonesia (3634–2268 cal BP), a key site that is adding critical data revealing cultural interactions in Wallacea. A symmetrical 2I 2 C 1 tooth ablation pattern was identified on four individuals, consistent with patterns found at other sites in Island Southeast Asia (ISEA), Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA), and West Pacific indicating that these cultural traditions extended further into eastern Wallacea than previously known. The practice was observed in both males and females at Kolana. One individual, an adult female, exhibited both ablation and intentional betel staining, indicating additional dimensions of social identity. These findings highlight the local adoption and adaptation of dental modification practices associated with Austronesian expansion. Future research incorporating aDNA and isotopic data is required to further elucidate the dynamic nature of these social traditions in Southeast Asia's past.