Lapita Descendant Cultures

Timeline

1. c. 1061–1065Bismarck Archipelago and surrounding New Guinea · Bismarck ArchipelagoMelanesian societies retained more Lapita archaeological features, such as terrace agriculture, pig and dog raising, and complex exchange systems, while developing localized pottery styles and diverse linguistic branches, forming the foundation of Pacific cultural diversity.
2. c. 1065–1070Central Pacific island belt · Western PolynesiaBy the 11th century, Polynesian and Micronesian descendant societies had developed distinct regional characteristics in oceanic voyaging, taro agriculture, and chiefly politics, together constituting the subsequent development forms of the Lapita legacy in the eastern and central Pacific.