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Dating of excavations from 1996 and 1997

BP (Before Present) means before 1950

The Torres Islands

Only one date from a charcoal rich layer in the cave at Woga gives us an idea of the first human occupation of Tegua and therefore of the island as a whole.

Laboratory code	Age BP	Correction 13C/12C	Conventional Age
Beta 100138	2100+/-60	-25,0	2100+/-60 BP

Santo

On Santo, the deepest levels of the shelters at Malsosoba 1 and Malsosoba 2 reflect the two main phases of occupation of the area. Initial occupation at Malsosoba 1 dates the development of large irrigated taro gardens at the mouth of the Naturtur.

Laboratory code	Age BP	Correction 13C/12C	Conventional Age
Beta 98570	1150+/-80	-27,4	1110+/-80 BP
Beta 97558	350+/-60	-25,3	340+/-60 BP

Malo

Lapita occupation at the site known as Atanoasao can be accurately dated from two pieces of charcoal, at about 2850 BP. The dates for plain ware pottery closely follow the Lapita period. This suggests that the Lapita occupation is short and quickly replaced in Vanuatu, as in western Polynesia, by the bearers of partially decorated or undecorated pottery. The coast remains unoccupied until the end of the first millenium of our era.

Laboratory code	Age BP	Correction 13C/12C	Conventional Age
Beta 110145	730+/-50 BP	-27,1	690+/-50 BP
Beta 110143	2830+/-100 BP	-26,0	2810+/-100 BP
Beta 110146	2830+/-60 BP	-25,0	2830+/-60 BP

Human evolution

At the end of the second millenium before our era, Lapita potters had settled in the Santa Cruz islands and in Malo, on the way to the islands of Fiji. They visited, but did not settle on, the southerly islands of Efate and Erromango. They only stay for a short time, but the places they discover continue to be visited by other potters ("polynesian plain ware") until about 2000 BP. These first visitors are sailor-potters, maritime nomads who travel to islands to use the resources they find, but without settling in any place.
During the first millenium of our era, the potters of Sinapupu settled in the islands from Santa Cruz to Ambae. Their painted and incised pottery was most likely produced in north-west Santo. They were truly pioneers, the first agriculturalists in the north of the archipelago, like the potters at Mangaasi further south.
At the beginning of the second millenium, Sinapupu pottery disappears, which marks a new stage in the peopling of the islands. The use of large irrigated taro gardens probably dates from this time.

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