The dispersals of early food producers from Southern China into Southeast Asia

Abstract

We discuss evidence for the movements of early food producing populations of putative southern Chinese origin into mainland and insular Southeast Asia. We draw especially on new discoveries from the northern Philippines (Batanes Islands sites and Nagsabaran, Cagayan Valley), northern Vietnam (Man Ban site) and southern Vietnam (An Son site). The discussion will also extend into questions of the Austronesian settlement of the western Pacific via the Marianas Islands. A southern Chinese homeland region for many modern Southeast Asian populations is highly likely, although localization of specific sources is difficult. Show more