Australasia

Abstract

This article examines the archaeology of Australasia. It explains that Australasia comprises Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand and it conflates geographical, colonial, and national boundaries and delineations in ways that on the face of things have little to do with prehistoric lifeways. This article discusses the nature of environmental change relevant to occupation, the dating of initial colonisation, and the human impacts associated with colonization. It also compares colonization and the impacts of debate in Sahul and New Zealand and discusses the archaeological cultural sequence in New Zealand.