Expert: Ralph Salier - 10/16/2008

Question
Hello Ralph,

I'm sorry to ask these follow up questions to respond to your answers:

You said that "the distance from Borneo to Northern Australia was much narrower and one could see across the straits". The shortest distance ever between Borneo and Northern Australia was perhaps still hundreds of miles during Glaciation. So this was not case. But if you mean the distance between the southwesternmost tip of Timor Island and the northeasternmost tip of Arnhem Land in North Australia during Glaciation, it is probably only tens of miles. Yet, I'm not sure if at this distance of several dozen miles, we can see the land beyond the horizon.

You said also that "it is also possible that the Native Americans may have come from Europe along the edge of the ice in boats." Yes indeed, I saw the BBC's 'Horizon' program about this, but those early Europeans were actually beach-combing at the southern edge of Arctic frozen sea. So they landed from time to time to have some rests upon the pack-ice. The land (in this case the pack-ice) was always near them. They were not travelling across an ocean, they just went along its periphery.

I don't agree either with your theory on the peopling of Oceania. It started only about 3000 years ago, long after the peopling of Australia about 40 thousand years earlier. Human beings of 3000 years ago have certainly possessed the ability to navigate the oceans. Do you have conclusive evidence that people have navigational skills 50 thousand years ago?

I'm still wondering if there was a land bridge between Asia and Australia during the peopling of Australia.

Best Regards

Thank You

Indro Cahyono
Jakarta, Indonesia



Answer     Hi Indro,

During the various glaciations, the water levels of the oceans were much lower then they are today.  During some of these low water periods, the distance from Borneo to Northern Australia was much narrower and one could see across the straits.  In addition, between 40 and 50 thousand years ago and perhaps even before this, humans had the knowledge of building water craft.  Some may even have allowed  the early Polynesians move to some of the islands such as the Phillipines and Japan.  How far they could have traveled is a matter of conjecture.  Some say that those ancient navigators may have reached the Americas.  It is also possible that the Native Americans may have come from Europe along the edge of the ice in boats!  Now as an archaeologist I'd like to see proof of this but none has been found as yet.  

But I would say that the navigations skills of the ancient ones was truely amazing and if you consider that the Pacific Ocean was fully peopled by these brave navigators, It would not surprize me that the ancient aboriginies got to Australia during their mythical dream time.

I hope that I answered your question.

By the way, the Aborigines, Kung San Bushmen of the Kalihari desert of South Africa and one of the tribes of southern Indians are most closely related genetically from the rest of the human population indicating that at one time these widely dispursed peoples may have traveled by sea.

Subject     CONCERNING AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES
Question     Hello Ralph,

I'm just a layman interested in our journey as a species spreading from Africa to the rest of the world. All of major land-mass invasions by our ancestors were done on foot. Even it was due to the existence of Beringia that the ancestors of Native Americans were able to cross from Northeast Asia.

My special interest is in the peopling of Australia. There's evidence that 50 thousand years ago, our species has arrived in Australia. The fact is that at that time, more than 50 miles of open ocean existed between southwestern-most tip or Timor Island and Australia, which means they had to be crossing some open waters. Was this possible? I mean at a distance of 50 miles, you will never know whether some land exists beyond the horizon. Moreover, did they have the navigational skills? If the invention of wheels only happened several thousand years ago, how came the ancestor of Australian Aborigines know how to sail tens of thousands of years ago? We are not marine mammal, are we?

Is this possible that actually no water barrier existed during the crossing from Asia to Australia? That actually there existed a kind of land bridge stretching from Sumatra all the way down to Arnhem land?

Thanks for your answer.

Best Regards

Indro Cahyono
Jakarta, Indonesia

Answer
Hi Indro,

My appologies, I said Borneo and I ment Papua New Guinea.  If you take a look at the depth of the ocean between Australia and Papua New Guinea, the area is relatively shallow and is also an area with many coral reefs.  So, if our ancestors could get to Papua New Guinea, they could get to Australia.  

The Japanese Islands appear to have been peopled by 25 thousand years ago according to some archaeological materials found on the north island in the last 5 or 6 years. In addition the Phillapines were populated by this time according to archaeological materials found there in the last 20 years.  So, the movement of our ancestors into the Pacific started at least 25 thousand years ago and given our propensity for exploration probably began even earlier then this.  

Finding food resources is a very strong motivator as is exploration for Humans and it is this drive which lead to the building of boats, canoes and rafts that have taken populations to most every nook and crany of land.  

Please also understand that not all materials are published in mainstream media outlets and that some is intentionally not published to prevent amatures and others from gaining access to sites and damaging them.  Some of these very ancient sites are extreemly delicate and easily damaged.  

To give you an example, some recent excavations of Neandertal sites in Europe are being done with the excavators wearing body suites to prevent modern DNA contamination from potentially getting on to Neadertal bones which could yield ancient DNA.  

There are several sites currently under investigation in Papua New Guinea, and some of the other islands of Indonesia.  These investigations are taking place very quietly due to the contraversy stired up by the "hobbit" discovery.  Due to this, the governments involved are now very hesitant to provide permits unless these investigations are done quietly.  

Two colleagues of mine are currently working on two sites that are yielding some amazing materials, including wooden implements and woven materials.  The dating for these materials is in the 60 thousand year range.  

In addition, both sites have also yielded homo erectus materials in lower horizons showing that these sites have been occupied for very long periods of time, even prior to modern humans appeared on the scene.