Paleolithic seafaring in East Asia: An experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis

Archeological evidence indicates that full-scale expansion of Homo sapiens across the oceans began about 50,000 years ago in the Western Pacific, yet how this was achieved remains unclear. The Ryukyu Islands in southwestern Japan, where archaeological sites suddenly appeared 35,000 to 30,000 years ago, are of particular interest in this regard because of the apparent difficulty in crossing the surrounding waters. In this study, we test if a non-sailing dugout canoe can be produced with Upper Paleolithic tools, and if it can cross the 110-kilometer-wide strait at the western entrance of the Ryukyus, where one of the world's strongest ocean currents intervenes. Our 7.5-meter-long dugout, manufactured with edge-ground stone axes, was speedy and durable enough to cross this strait. This supports the early development of functional boats, such as dugouts, while our experiment also highlighted that this type of sea travel was possible only for experienced paddlers with advanced navigational skills.