Distribution of Austronesian languages and archaeology in Western New Guinea, Indonesia

Abstract

The correlation between language spread and the existence of archaeological remains is often debated when trying to prove prehistoric human migration in various locations. Numerous experts argue that language spread cannot always serve as evidence of human migration, as language and artifacts can diffuse without necessitating migration. This process may have taken place in Western New Guinea which is now part of Indonesian territory. In this area, known as Indonesian Papua, the influence of Austronesian culture has been significant for thousands of years. This paper aims to investigate whether there are any parallels between the presence of Austronesian material culture and the distribution of Austronesian languages in Papua, Indonesia. The method employed involves overlaying the locations of archaeological sites containing Austronesian material culture with the distribution of Austronesian languages in the region. The results indicate that while there is some overlap between language distribution and Austronesian cultural remains in the Papua region, particularly in parts of coastal areas and surrounding island, there are also coastal areas with high Austronesian archaeological potential that lack Austronesian language presence. This is especially true in the central highlands which are predominantly Australo-Papuan areas, where Austronesian cultural influence exists but is not accompanied by the language. This demonstrates that the presence of Austronesian cultural influences in the Papua region does not always have to be associated with Austronesian migration or the language, it is possible that the culture was adopted as a result of contacts that took place.