Lapita expansion and Austronesian migration

Record summary

Lapita sites are recognized by distinctive dentate-stamped ceramics, transported materials, settlement remains and later evidence of long-distance voyaging across Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The sequence is central to models of Austronesian-language expansion, maritime migration and interaction with established populations. Archaeologists debate the balance between migration, exchange and local innovation, as well as the role of pottery as a population marker. It is a strong comparative lead for integrating archaeology, linguistics, genetics and seafaring evidence without reducing them to one narrative.