Islands on the edge: 42,000-year-old occupation of the Tanimbar islands and its implications for the Sunda-Sahul early human migration discourse

Tanimbar is one of the main island groups in Wallacea included in Birdsell's early human migration routes from Sunda to Sahul, situated at the easternmost end of south Wallacea on Birdsell's Route 2A. Despite its geographic significance, the island group has not undergone thorough archaeological investigation. Here, we present the first evidence of Pleistocene human occupation in the Tanimbar Islands, dating back approximately 42,000 years, representing one of the oldest ages for human occupation in Wallacea. This finding aligns with records from islands in the west of Wallacea, suggesting rapid human movement through the region. The successful colonization of Tanimbar, like other islands in southern Wallacea, required advanced maritime technology. However, unlike other islands on Route 2A, the early occupants on Tanimbar had access to medium-sized terrestrial mammals, specifically macropods, which are now locally extinct. The faunal remains from the initial colonization period suggest exploitation of both terrestrial and marine resources. This early settlement of the Tanimbar's potentially enabled exploration of surrounding islands, supported by possible evidence of the movement of lithic raw materials and potentially the introduction of macropods from Sahul.