Archaeological investigations at Trader's Cave, Niah National Park: Report on the First (2017) Field Season

Archaeological investigations at Trader's Cave, Niah National Park, have contributed to the understanding of late Pleistocene-late Holocene prehistory in insular Southeast Asia (iSEA). The study builds on the historical significance of the Niah Great Cave Complex, particularly the 'Deep Skull' discovered in 1958. While recent re-dating of Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) at Lida Ajder in Sumatra has challenged its status as the earliest evidence, the Deep Skull remains a pivotal discovery for regional prehistory. The research employed direct uranium series analysis and Bayesian modeling to date skull fragments, placing them within the range of 35.2+2.6 ka or c39-30 ka (at 94.5 per cent probability). This study underscores the enduring importance of Trader's Cave in advancing our knowledge of human occupation and cultural evolution in the region.

Curnoe, D., Datan, I., Sauffi William, M. S., Hsiao Mei, G., Slack, M., Peiris, R., & Sun, X.-f. (2017). Archaeological investigations at Trader’s Cave, Niah National Park: Report on the First (2017) Field Season. The Sarawak Museum Journal, LXXVIII(99), 119–138. https://doi.org/10.61507/smj22-2017-vk14-05