Paleocurrents in a Least-Cost Pathway Model of Human Dispersal from Sunda to Sahul, 65-45,000 Years Ago

The timing of human colonization of Sahul, now thought to be at least as early as 65,000 years ago (up from the previous known 42 ka) has significantly revised our understanding of the dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH). This movement represents, to date, the earliest known AMH long distance migration by sea, implying significant levels of complex language, marine technology, and colonization abilities. Incorporating more sophisticated paleoclimate constraints into human migration models will shed light upon the timing of Homo sapiens dispersal from Sunda into Sahul. The least-cost pathway analysis applied to human migration models generally utilizes a combination of eustatic sea level, low-resolution ancient topography, and/or present-day ocean currents. Using robust topography and sea level reconstructions based on state-of-the-art geophysical modeling of ice age dynamics and …