1 102 A Northern China @ Early China was inhabited by hunter-gatherers. By 6000 BC, some communities had begun farming. They lived in substantial villages like Banpo, which included a large communal building, pottery kilns and a cemetery. Interregional contacts brought materials like highly prized jade over long distances. By 2000 BC, much of northern China was culturally unified.
#North China, pottery lid depicting human head
2 102 B South China and South-East Asia @ Early hunter-gatherers in some regions occupied caves; they used stone tools and by 6000 BC made pottery. Rice cultivation began on the mainland after 5000 BC, and spread with pottery making to island South-East Asia around 2500 BC. Bronze tools were in use in some areas by this date; bronzes in some graves indicate emerging status differences.
#South China and South-East Asia, Thai rock art showing man leading cow
3 102 C Early Japan @ The early inhabitants of Japan specialized in exploiting fish, shellfish and other coastal foods, although land resources were also important; often they were sedentary. They produced the world's earliest pottery before 10,000 BC; later pottery was decorated with cord impressions. Although the early Japanese were deep-sea fishers, they were culturally isolated from the mainland.
#Early Japan, Jomon Pot
4 103 E New Guinea and near Oceania @ Agriculture developed in New Guinea shortly after the last Ice Age. The presence of obsidian from Talasea on New Ireland around 4000 BC, and the appearance in this region of South-East Asian plants and animals, show that already the islanders were skilled seafarers. Before 1500 BC, they colonized islands as far as the Solomons.
#New Guinea and near Oceania, waisted stone axe
5 102 D Australia @ Humans reached Australia by 50,000 BC. Despite low sea-levels, Australia was then separated from South-East Asia by at least 38 miles (60 km) of sea, so the colonists must have possessed seaworthy boats. Australia's fauna included giant marsupials; these died out by 10,000 BC, possibly due to people using fire to clear vegetation.
