
The members of the Papuan Past Project took part to the 10th World Archaeological Congress, 22-28 June 2025, in Darwin, Australia. Three members of the project were present, including Roxanne Tsang, Avis Babalu and Sébastien Plutniak, who presented a paper (oral presentation) and two posters, respectively.
One paper (oral presentation) was presented by PPP members:
- Roxanne Tsang presented a paper entitled “Material Culture in the Rock Art of Papua New Guinea” (co-authored with Sebastien Katuk, François-Xavier Ricaut, and Matthew Leavesley) at the session Exploring Global Questions and Challenges of Material Culture Depicted in Rock Art.
Globally, many early rock art sites do not come with ethnography. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), we can inform rock art through ethnography thereby bringing multiple perspectives on the interpretation of rock art. In particular, depictions of material culture in rock art are important to investigate and many motifs require multidisciplinary approaches for investigation. Here the material culture represented in the rock art of the Upper Karawari- Arafundi region in East Sepik Province, PNG is reviewed and presented. The material culture stencils identified includes bone ornaments, a variety of shell ornaments, a bilum and a steel bush knife – items that are connected to all aspects of life for local people. This overview indicates that a comprehensive analysis of these material culture themes through cognition, archaeological science, ethnography through Indigenous narratives and museum collections can provide fascinating insights into the social, cultural and environmental context of these objects, culture and its people.
Two posters were also displayed at the conference by PPP members:
- Plutniak Sébastien, François-Xavier Ricaut and Matthew Leavesley “In the Neighbourhood of Kuk’s Earlier Agriculturists: New Investigations at Manim Rock Shelter (New Guinea Highlands)”.

The New Guinea Highlands are well known as the location where the earliest traces of agriculture were found. Decades of research at the Kuk site have produced numerous publications. However, research efforts in the surrounding areas have been far less intensive, and little is known about Kuk’s wider neighbourhood. In the 1970s, responding to this lack of knowledge, the archaeologist Ole Christensen conducted surveys and excavations in the Wahgi and Wurup valleys and surrounding areas. His tragic death in 1974 brought his initiative to an abrupt end. This poster presents the results of re-excavations carried out in 2019, which include: new observations of the stratigraphic sequence, analysis of the lithic materials discovered, and seven new 14C dates. In addition, materials stored in Australia from Christensen’s original investigation, were studied and published by Tim Denham, including fifteen new 14C dates. Our study integrates our results with those of Christensen to propose a comprehensive chronological model and a reassessment of Manim lithic implements, offering new data on the neolithisation process in the New Guinea Highlands.
- Avis Babalu, François-Xavier Ricaut and Matthew Leavesley “Mid-Holocene Lowland Tropical rainforest adaptation”.

Conventional archaeology often overlooks swamp zone occupation due to visibility and accessibility issues. This project investigate the Purari landscape, a region characterized by low level riverine deltas and adjacent limestone hills, offering a unique opportunity to investigate prehistoric human behaviour.
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Papuan Past Project Editors (June 27, 2025). The members of the Papuan Past Project at the WAC 2025 Congress. Papuan Past Project. Retrieved April 16, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/1487f
