Models of Neolithic Movements in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Introduction

• The origins of cultural similarities in Southeast Asia are traced back to the Neolithic age.
• Two major hypotheses explain Neolithic movements and cultural similarities:
  • Peter Bellwood's Out-of-Taiwan (OOT) Hypothesis
  • Wilhelm Solheim's Nusantao Maritime Trading and Communication Network (NMTCN)

Bellwood's Out-of-Taiwan (OOT) Hypothesis

• Dominant model explaining Neolithic movements in the Pacific.
• Austronesian Concept: "South Islander"
  • Refers to both language family and populations speaking Austronesian languages.

Key Elements of the OOT Model

1. 4500 BC - 4000 BC: Settlement in Taiwan
   • Pre-Austronesian peoples migrate from China due to agricultural pressures.
   • Development of Proto-Austronesian language.
2. 3000 BC: Differentiation of TPK Culture
   • Yuanshan culture significantly impacts settlement in the Philippines and Indonesia.
3. 2500 BC - 1500 BC: Migration to the Philippines and Indonesia
   • Proto-Austronesian differentiates further as it reaches these islands.
4. 1500 BC: Expansion to Java and Further
   • Austronesian influence spreads west to Madagascar and east to the Pacific.
   • Development into Lapita pottery complex.

Solheim's Nusantao Maritime Trading and Communication Network (NMTCN)

• Emphasizes cultural over biological connections.
• Nusantao Concept: "People of the South Islands"
  • Not interchangeable with Austronesian; focuses on maritime culture.

The NMTCN Structure

• Central Lobe: Early and Late divisions
  • Early Central: Homeland in eastern Vietnam, predates Austronesian language.
  • Late Central: Includes Southeastern Taiwan and South China.
• Northern Lobe: Extends from Taiwan to the Americas.
• Eastern Lobe: Includes Moluccas to Easter Island.
• Western Lobe: Stretches from Southeast Asia to Africa.

Expansion of the NMTCN

1. Eastward from Early Central Lobe
   • Development of Early Eastern Lobe by 3000-4000 BC.
2. Northward Expansion
   • Movement includes coastal China and Japan.
3. Westward to Western Lobe
   • Pottery links to sites in Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia.
4. Late Eastern Lobe Expansion
   • Extends into Pacific Islands.

Comparison and Epilogue

• Bellwood: Linguistic orientation; linear movement.
• Solheim: Anthropological orientation; multidirectional spread via maritime networks.
• Both models have strengths and limitations.
• Further research needed on maritime conditions and technologies of the period to determine which model reflects historical events more accurately.

References

• Bibliography includes works by Bellwood, Solheim, and others on Southeast Asian archaeology and Austronesian languages.