Holocene settlement of the northern coastal plains, Northern Territory, Australia

Abstract

The northern Australian coastal plains are relatively recent landforms that have undergone dynamic evolution over the last 10,000 years. Over 300 radiocarbon dates have enabled archaeologists and geomorphologists to provide a more detailed interpretation of human settlement and resource use. This paper provides a synthesis of the archaeological evidence and integrates it within the palaeo-environmental frameworks. It characterises the timing, pattern and nature of human-environment interaction in this newly formed landscape over the last 10,000 years.