2003/06/24 by Tim Denham, Simon Haberle, Carol Lentfer +5 · 7 citations
Social Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Isotope Analysis in Ecology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1126/science.1085255
openalex publication_date 2003/06/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Multidisciplinary investigations at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea show that agriculture arose independently in New Guinea by at least 6950 to 6440 calibrated years before the present (cal yr B.P.). Plant exploitation and some cultivation occurred on the wetland margin at 10,220 to 9910 cal yr B.P. (phase 1), mounding cultivation began by 6950 to 6440 cal yr B.P. (phase 2), and ditched cultivation began by 4350 to 3980 cal yr B.P. (phase 3). Clearance of lower montane rainforests began in the early Holocene, with modification to grassland at 6950 to 6440 cal yr B.P. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) was utilized in the early Holocene, and bananas (Musa spp.) were intensively cultivated by at least 6950 to 6440 cal yr B.P.