Niah Cave Human Remains and Early Occupation

Record summary

Niah Cave is a major Southeast Asian archaeological locality with deep occupation deposits, stone artifacts, animal remains, and human remains including the specimen traditionally called the Deep Skull. It is useful for comparing Pleistocene adaptations, mortuary evidence, rainforest use, and possible routes into Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The cave’s long research history also demonstrates how excavation methods and dating standards affect interpretation. The age and context of particular remains should be checked against later reassessments rather than relying on early excavation summaries.