The palaeoenvironmental context of the Palaeolithic of Java: A brief review

Abstract

The earliest Palaeolithic implements found in Java Island are older than 1 Ma, postdating the oldest Homo erectus fossils. The archaeological record subsequently documents Acheulean-like tools in early Middle Pleistocene deposits, a diversity of flake tools assemblages found in late Middle/early Upper Pleistocene sites, and the conspicuous development of cave occupations during the end of the Pleistocene and the early Holocene.The environment, mostly forested during the Lower Pleistocene, underwent important changes during the setup of Mid-Pleistocene climatic conditions, then at the beginning of the Upper Pleistocene and at the boundary between MIS 2 and 1. Its reconstructions must also consider more local factors, e.g. the repetitive effects of the tectonic and volcanic activities, which had severe consequences on local climate, on the palaeogeography and the vegetal formations, or even isolation of faunistic and floristic groups.Examples presented here broach the context of ancient human settlements and adaptation, from a multidisciplinary viewpoint that includes the study of the vegetal cover and the availability of lithic raw material. The associated vertebrate faunas, considered both as an environmental proxy and as a subsistence resource, reflect the contrasts between periods of contact with the mainland (increased biodiversity) and periods of isolation favouring endemism, and also the impact of local environmental constraints.