Following the fish: Using ichthyoarchaeology to study human dispersals through Island Southeast Asia

Clara Boulanger has taken up her British Academy-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship at the UCL Institute of Archaeology, which will run from 2024-2027, allowing her to pursue her research project entitled 'Following the fish: Using ichthyoarchaeology to study the tempo and geography of human dispersals through Island Southeast Asia.'

By 50,000 years ago, Homo sapiens’ dispersal to Australia marked the earliest period of human maritime adaptation. Two models of migration routes through Island Southeast Asia and the Wallacean Archipelago are proposed – a northern one and a southern one. However, the timing and location of these migrations remain disputed. Recent studies demonstrated the presence of populations with strong maritime culture in southern Wallacea from around 40,000 years ago, while coastal adaptation in the north remains largely unstudied.

This project aims to understand human reliance on marine environments utilising samples from recently excavated archaeological sites located on the northern route. Using comparative anatomy, biomolecular techniques such as ZooMS, and stable isotope analysis, it will seek insights into subsistence strategies and seafaring technologies, establishing a novel framework for understanding our species' adaptation and dispersal for early seafarers across challenging regions of the planet.

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships offer outstanding early career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in an academic environment. 

Congratulations Clara!

Links

• British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships