title: The archaeology, chronology and stratigraphy of Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II): A site in northern Australia with early occupation.
abstract: Published ages of >50 ka for occupation at Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II) in Australia's north have kept the site prominent in discussions about the colonisation of Sahul. The site also contains one of the largest stone artefact assemblages in Sahul for this early period. However, the stone artefacts and other important archaeological components of the site have never been described in detail, leading to persistent doubts about its stratigraphic integrity. We report on our analysis of the stone artefacts and faunal and other materials recovered during the 1989 excavations, as well as the stratigraphy and depositional history recorded by the original excavators. We demonstrate that the technology and raw materials of the early assemblage are distinctive from those in the overlying layers. Silcrete and quartzite artefacts are common in the early assemblage, which also includes edge-ground axe fragments and ground haematite. The lower flaked stone assemblage is distinctive, comprising a mix of long convergent flakes, some radial flakes with faceted platforms, and many small thin silcrete flakes that we interpret as thinning flakes. Residue and use-wear analysis indicate occasional grinding of haematite and woodworking, as well as frequent abrading of platform edges on thinning flakes. We conclude that previous claims of extensive displacement of artefacts and post-depositional disturbance may have been overstated. The stone artefacts and stratigraphic details support previous claims for human occupation 50-60 ka and show that human occupation during this time differed from later periods. We discuss the implications of these new data for understanding the first human colonisation of Sahul.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia. Electronic address: c.clarkson@uq.udu.au.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Historical Research, National Museum of Australia, GPO Box 1901, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Denny Hall 117, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195-3100, USA.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marwick
authors.affiliation: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fullagar
authors.affiliation: Department of Archaeology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5048, Australia.
authors.forename: Lynley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.affiliation: Department of Archaeology, School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faulkner
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manne
authors.affiliation: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Elspeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Zenobia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Carah
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelsey M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: S Anna
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Florin
mesh_terms: D001106:Archaeology / Q000379:methods*; D016477:Artifacts; D001315:Australia; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D009790:Occupations / Q000266:history*; D013672:Technology / Q000266:history
keywords: Australia; Chronology; Colonisation; Grindstones; Lithic technology; Stone axes