ABSTRACT
In turning to the highlands of New Guinea, the history of early agriculture may be considered an unusual story, which in comparison with other regions of the world is only beginning to be unravelled. In terms of material culture, highlanders traditionally employed relatively simple tools for agriculture, as well as an assortment of stone axes, adzes and hoes. Several aspects of agricultural practices and historical representations of the island seem to have prejudiced opinion against acceptance of New Guinea as a locus of early agriculture and plant domestication. In many ways, the story of early agriculture in the highlands of New Guinea is unexpected. The intention is twofold: to clearly establish New Guinea as a region of early agricultural development and plant domestication and to develop a contingent, practice-based interpretation of early agriculture that has broader application to other regions of the world. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
