S56 – Inscribing early archaeological sites in Unesco’s World Heritage List
Most of the physical, psychological, physiological characteristics of humankind were shaped over the 2.6 million years of the Pleistocene geological period. During that incredibly long time period, the hominins faced impressive climatic changes showing strong resilience, adapting and developing technologies and keeping in balance with the environment. During the last few millennia of the Quaternary, […]
S55 – Hoabinhian: Current State and Debates
Hoabinhian is a unique and distinctive prehistoric techno-complex that existed in the Southeast Asia region. Interregional linkages and comparative characteristics of technology, subsistence, environment, and population are key to understanding this culture that persisted from the Late Pleistocene to the Early Holocene. Since its first discovery, numerous studies have been conducted on Hoabinhian material culture […]
S54 – Prehistory and Education: A Social Responsibility
Prehistory is part of school curricula as a vital part of human history. It is mainly taught in classrooms, but since the late 20th century, museums and heritage centers have also played a key role in informal learning through interactive programs. The session explores innovative ways to disseminate prehistoric knowledge through formal and informal education. […]
S53 – Approaches and Practices in Tropical Prehistory
Stakes in studying Prehistory in tropical regions are vast and offer a unique perspective on the evolution of human societies. Throughout Quaternary, due to their specific climatic and ecological conditions, these areas have indeed played a central role in shaping human behaviors, technologies, and subsistence strategies adapted to often challenging environments. Ultimately, the prehistory of […]
S51 – Ethno-prehistory in Southeast Asia
This session seeks to engage scholars, researchers, and practitioners in an interdisciplinary discourse that highlights the pivotal role of ethnoarchaeological methodologies in elucidating prehistoric human behavior, material culture, and social structures across Asia. In light of the complex interplay between archaeological data and contemporary ethnographic parallels, Ethno-prehistory in Southeast Asia offers a unique vantage point […]
S15 – Late Quaternary Southeast Asian Palaeogeography and Paleoecology: Barriers and Connections, Endemism and Exchange
The Late Quaternary is characterized by a series of climatic cycles of alternating interglacial and glacial periods that has shaped the biogeographic histories of plants and animals, including those of our species. In Southeast Asia, these cycles have dramatically influenced the region’s paleogeography, with some islands being connected to the mainland in periods of low […]
S12 – Biomolecular approaches and the history of human settlements in the Southeast Asia Archipelago
The existence of humans in the Islands of Southeast Asian in the past and current living populations proves and presents the richness, diversity and complexity of the history of settlement in this region and its surroundings. This complexity is reflected in their morphotypes, races, ethnicity, and material culture. This is inseparable from the strategic position […]
S11 – The Austronesian Diaspora: A Major Event in Human History
Today, Austronesian languages are spoken by almost 400 million people in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, and Madagascar. Austronesian was the most widespread language family in the world before the 16th century, and multiple disciplines have examined how it developed and spread across an impressive range over the course of thousands of […]
S10 – Asian Palaeolithic Artefacts in Worldwide Context: Raw Material Circulation, Technological Features and Methodologies
The symposium aims to showcase interdisciplinary and comprehensive studies of Palaeolithic stone tools in Asia, situating them within a global context of understanding the human past. The session is particularly interested in research questions relating to raw material circulation and technological features. The identification of lithic raw material sources (both primary and secondary deposits) offers […]
S09 – Past and future of archaeological collections. Field exploration, movements, preservation (19th-21st c.). History of science and practitioners’ perspectives
The symposium is organised by the UISPP Commission on the History of Archaeology [https://histarcheo.hypotheses.org], in collaboration with the Commission “Southeast Asia: Human Evolution, Dispersals and Adaptations”. It will concentrate on the creation, transmission and movements of prehistoric collections – including natural history specimens, human remains, and artefacts –, from the colonial era to the present […]