Anatomically modern human in Southeast Asia (Laos) by 46 ka

TLDR

Uncertainties remain about when modern humans first appeared in East and Southeast Asia, despite genetic and archaeological evidence of rapid migration into the region by at least 60 ka and a notable lack of fossil evidence in mainland Southeast Asia. This study reports a modern human cranium recovered from Tam Pa Ling, Laos, in a secure stratigraphic context. Radiocarbon, luminescence, and direct U‑dating of the surrounding sediments and bone establish an age range of approximately 51–63 ka. The cranium exhibits derived modern human morphology, differs from western Eurasian archaic humans, and confirms a definitively modern population in mainland Southeast Asia at ~50 ka, providing the earliest skeletal evidence for fully modern humans there.

Abstract

Uncertainties surround the timing of modern human emergence and occupation in East and Southeast Asia. Although genetic and archeological data indicate a rapid migration out of Africa and into Southeast Asia by at least 60 ka, mainland Southeast Asia is notable for its absence of fossil evidence for early modern human occupation. Here we report on a modern human cranium from Tam Pa Ling, Laos, which was recovered from a secure stratigraphic context. Radiocarbon and luminescence dating of the surrounding sediments provide a minimum age of 51-46 ka, and direct U-dating of the bone indicates a maximum age of ~63 ka. The cranium has a derived modern human morphology in features of the frontal, occipital, maxillae, and dentition. It is also differentiated from western Eurasian archaic humans in aspects of its temporal, occipital, and dental morphology. In the context of an increasingly documented archaic-modern morphological mosaic among the earliest modern humans in western Eurasia, Tam Pa Ling establishes a definitively modern population in Southeast Asia at ~50 ka cal BP. As such, it provides the earliest skeletal evidence for fully modern humans in mainland Southeast Asia.