INDOIVESIAN CULTURE AND MALAGASY ORlGlNS
par Wihelm G . SOLHElM I I
Tlie purpose of this paper is to look at what is kiiown of the prc- liistory of Jndonesia and from tliis present some iclea of what tlie culture of t h e Pirst Indonesian settlers of Madagascar may have beeii like. M. \ É R I N asketl ine t o give a description of « Indonesian or hlaiayo-Polynesian culturc » i n Soiitheast Asia and the adjacent is- lands around tlie begitining of the Christian era, which, we coultl iiifer, would be similar to the culture of the first Indonesian settlers iri Mridagüscar. This, 1 (10 not feel 1 will be able t o d o before another twenty or thirty years. Tlierefore, 1 have reframecl niy task to that str~te.1 above.
Indonesian preliistoric arclicology is not well ciiough known to infer i n any detail, witli hope for accura,cy, wliat can be expectetl to bc p ~ e s e n t in Madagascar in early prehistoric tinies. No single area in Southcast Asia o r Intlonesia is well know preliistoricallv. There are data from siirface collections scatterecl widely over the wliole area.
Fram this data plus data froin linguistic distribution studies and ethnographie studias tliere liave been general recoiistructions of thc M a l a ~ o - P o l y e s i a n or Austrotiesian migrations ( H E I N E - G E L D E R N 1932) ( 1 1 dn(1 reconstructions for more specific areas, such a s for t h e P h i - lippines (BEYER 1 9 4 8 ) ( 2 ) ancl Malaya ( T W E E D I E 1 9 5 5 ) ( 3 ) . Examina- tion of HEINF-GELDERN'S (19451 (-1) and HEEKEREN'S ( 1 9 5 7 and 1958) ( 5 ) reviews of Indonesian arclieology demonstrate clearly t h e imgossibility of pwsenting a cletailed picture of Indonesian prehistory.
( 1 ) Hei~ne-Geldern, Robert 1932 - Urheimat u n d F r u h e s t e W a n d e r u n g e n der Aus- tronesier. Anthr,opos. 27. 543-619.
(2) Beyer. H Otley - Philippines a n d East Asian Archaeology, a n d i t s relation t o the o r i ~ i n of t h e Pacific I s l a n d population. Bull. Nat. Res. Counc. Phil., n , ' 29.
( 3 ) Tweedie, M.W.F. - Prehistoric Malaya, ( B a c k g r o u n d t o Malaya Series nll 6, S i n g a p o r e , Donald Moore.
( 4 ) Heine-Geldern, Robert. 1945 - Prehistoric r e s e a r c h i n t h e Netherlands Indies.
Science a n d Scientisls i n t h e Netherlan~ds Indies, 129-167, Eid. by Pieter Honig a n d F r a n s Verdoorn, New York. Riverside Press.
( 5 ) I i t e k e r e n , H. R v a n - 1957 a n d 1958 - T h e S t o n e Age of I n d o n e s i a , Verhan- delingrn v a n Koninklijk I n s t i t u i voor T a a l
.
Land - e n Volkendunde, XXI T h e Bronze-Iron Age of Indonesia. Verhandelingen v a n h e t Koninklijk I n s t i t u t vcor T a a l -, Land - e n Volkendunde, X X I IThree recent American publications, in vaiying degrecs, h a \ e considered t h e prehistoric origins of t h e Malagasy in Indonesia.
Murdock, in « P a r t Seven >> of work on Africa (1959, 212-270) (11 is concerned witli tlie « Cultural Impact of Indonesia ». His first cliapter in this section deals with t h e Malagasy (212-221) and he begina this witli a consideration of Inclonesian origins and what t h e Indo- nesian anestors of the Rlalagasy brought with tliem. LINTON, in Iiis 7'rec of Culture, presents the most recently published extensive discus- sion of t h e « Southeast Asiatic Complex >> (1955, 173-222). I n t h e first part of tliis section LINTON covers t h e « Southeast Asiatic Keo- lithic >) 1955, 173-82) (2) and here presents a sunimary of what h e felt ;vas the general culture pattern i n t h e late prehistoric period of Southeast Asia. While ~ A ~ tficl not use t h e most recent archeolo- N ~ O ~
gical reports from Southeast Asia that were available to liim, his review is, i n general, good. 1 have reviewed his section on t h e Sou- theast Asian Neolithic i n some detail clsewhcre (SOLHEIM 1957, 46-50)
\ 3 ) , so ~ v i l l not repeat this h e r e Linton's second chapter in his Soii- tl-ieast Asia section, titled << Occania and Madagascnr >>, deals with t h e spread of the Malayo-Polynesian speaking peoples from Southesst A3ia, and here h e briefly discusses tlie origins of Indonesian culture in Madagascar (1955, 202-04) ( 1 ) . Tlie tiiost recent paper whicli inclu-
dcs a ronsideration of Indoriesian movement to Madagascar is con- "
ceriit:d with tlie movements of tliese peoples as seen from a study oE prehistorir and present d î y pottery (SOLHEIM 1964) (5). T h e inclu- sion of Madagascar in this paper is brief, but 1 mention it here be- cause it provides background Eor iny discussion of the culture of the first Indnnesian settlers in Madagascar.
Miirdock apparently feels, on tlie basis of linguistic evidence, thai th-, Indonpsian settlers tliat cnnie to Madagascar were M s a n y ~ n froiii soiitlieastern Borneo (1959, 214) ( 6 ) . If tliis werc sa, the logical pro- cetlule for this paper would be to reconstruct as far as possible the anocstral ciilture of t h e Maanyan sliortly before t h e beginning of tlie Christian era and that woiiltl be sufficent. 1 d o not do this for several reasuns. First, there is not available the needed evidence, archeolo- gical or ortherwise, t o reconstruct an ancestral Maanyan culture as rl~stirict froni any other of t h e many unknown << cultures >> of that time in Suutheast Asia. Second, there is no evidence, that 1 know of, to
(1) Murdock, George P e t e r 1959 - Africa i t s Peoples a n d .their C u l t u r e History, New York, Mc Graw-Hi11 Book Compainy. I n c .
(2) L i n t o n , R a l p h 1955 - T h e T r e e of C u l t u r , ~ , New-York, Alfred A. K n o p f . ( 3 ) Solheim I I , Wilhelm G. - 1957 S o u t h e a s t Asia, Asian P,ersmpectiv,es. 1, 46-52.
( 4 ) Linton, R a l p h 1955 - T h e Tree of C u l t u r e , New York, Alfred A. K n o p f .
( 5 ) So1,heirn II, Wilhelm G. - 1964 - P o t t e r y a n d t h e Malayo-Polynesians. C u r r e n t Anthropo~logy, V (5).
( 6 ) îvTurdock, George P e t e r 1959 - Afriea, i l s Peoplcs a n d t h e i r C u l t u r e B i \ ~ n r j , New York, Mc Graw-Hi11 Book Company, I n c
iiitlicate that tlie aiicebtors of the Maanyan, witli whom we are presu- iiiably ronccrned, were living along the coast of southeastern Borneo a! tlie tinie in wliirli we are interestcrl. Tliercfore, any arrlicological evitience in this area for this time period may or may not have a rela- tioii4hip to t h e ancestral Maanyan. Third, 1 doubt that we can say tlia,t thesr ancestral Maanyan arc also the ancestors of tlie Intlonesiaii element of t h e Malagasy peoples.
The history of a languagc and t h e history of the specifiv etlinir gioup that speaks tliat laiigiiage are riot nrressarily t h e same. I do iiot question tlic closc relationship of the Malaga,sy language to tlic h!aanyan l a n p a g e , but 1 (10 question the assumption that from tliia it follows tliat there is an equal relationsliip of the prcsent day spea- kers of these twn langunges. Just becaiise we speak English in the Unitcd States at the present time, i t does not rnean tliat t h e anrestors of the ilmericans of the United States lived i n southern England about 500 years ago. Even if we coulil assunie this, if we followed t h e an- cestry of the English i n soutliern Englsnd back another 1,500 years, 1 am sure we would not find tliese ancestors al1 living i n soutlierii England shortly before t h e beginning of the Christian era. While the documenter1 liistory of Soiitheast Asia antl Indonesia is not as completc as that of Western Europe, there is still data indirating considerablc niovemeni of peoples and tribes during t h e last 500 years in Soiitheast A?ia, particularly among maiiy of the slash and b u r n agriculturists, whom, 1 would expect, woultl inrlude t h e ancestors of the Mannyan.
T h e bearers of the culture (s) that 1 frel rame to Madagîscar were scattered witlely over Soutlieast Asia, Inclonesia, and into New (ruiiiea around 500 B.C. They were expert sailors and mnny of them froni maiiy tlifferent honie were sailing, fisliing, and tratling In e ~ i i n o g r a ~ l i i c terms, these sailors miist have come from scveral dif- fereiit cultures, but cultures whicli were closely related and which probably derived piiinarily froni one culture 1.000 to 1.500 yenra carlier. Tliey were al1 speakers of different languages and dialccts of t h e Malayo-Polynesian family. Probably several of these ethnic groups iiicliided traders ainong their number who regularly rame i n rontact with each otlier. No doubt, t h e langua,ge of the traders of one of thesr groups caiiie to serve as a Zingua franca ainong the traders, and this iane;iagc \\as prabably either the ancestral language of both M a a n ~ a n
and the languages of Madagascar, or a dialect of the ancestral languagc oc hlaanyan, of whicIi t h c only remaining descendant languages arc t l l o ~ e of Madagascar.
These, then, are the a s s u m ~ ~ t i o n s t h a t 1 make abolit the ancestors of the first Inclonesian arrivals in Matlagast,nr : they werc sailors, ixaving, ai least to somc degrec, with families, coming fram several (lifftarent but rlosely relatecl cultures i n Southea,st Asia antl Indoncsia, apeaking clifferent Malayo-Polynesian language biit having i n common
il as a lingun franca tlie languagc aiice.itra1 to Maanya,n, or one vlosciy rrlnted tr, it. These sailors, or t1it:ir 3riccstors, rnay have lsst toiiclieci
~ I i c i r lioine port i n Southeast Asia or Inilonesia anywliere betwecn i.Oi)C! B.C. and 500 A.D., though tlie period between 500 and 1 B.C. is the niost likely. I t is possible that there were small rclatively perina- nent settlernents of tliese people d o n g tlie east coast of Inclia but rio deîinite indications of such liavc been found. I t is possible tliat many oE t h e Inclonesian settlers in Madagascar came after voyaging froin Iiitlonesia, along the intervening Coast lities, in a matter of a ver)- few years I t sems likely to me: liowcver, tliat for niany Indonesian arrivals i n Madagascar i t lia-d becii a iiurnber of years since they were last i n Indoncsian and in soiiic cases it may have been several generations.
Tlic general Indoriesiari cultiirc wrliicli 1 feel would liave niost r-ceiitly inclucled among its bcarera tlie Intloncsian nncestry of t l i ~
?i/Jalnyo-Polynesian speaking pcoplcs of Madagascar is tliat kno\.vri from widcly scattered arcliaeolopical sites in Iiidoncsia and Soutliesst Asia dating from t h e lattcr Iialf of tlit, first millenium B.C.
NIALAGASY ANCESTRAT, INUOYESIAN CULTURE
T h e ancestral culture (si of tlic Inclonesian ciiltiire tliat evolteti iil biadagascar is at best liypotlit.tic~1. 1 tlo not attenipt to reconstruct tlriat culture biit prescnt elcmenta tliat I tllink probably were s part ot that ancestral culture (5). For alternate ~>rescntations sce M r r ~ o o c l i (1959) antl T,INI'ON (19551 ( I i
.
MATERIAL CULTURE
One of the best knowsi elenients of the material culture of Sou- tiieart Asia for t h e secon$ half of tlit: first rnillenium B.C. is pottery.
Tliere is one pottery tra&tioii tliat a p p ( : ~ r s to Ii,3,vc hccn widcspre.iti in Southrast Asia and i t 1's niost lilrvly tliat tlie first potters in Maila- gascar rnsde pottery of tliis traclition. This tratlition is called tlnr Sa-huynh-Kalanay Pottcry Tradition and lias been reported from pre- historic aites in Vietriani, Canibotlia, Tliailantl. hlalaya, t h e central I'iiilippines, Xew Guinea, Celebea, Uorneo: Bsli. and Javs (SULHEIXI
( 1 ) M u r d o c k , Georg P e t e r 1959 - A f r i c a , its Penplcs a n d t h e i r C u l t u r e H i s t o r y , Pitw-York. Mc Graw-Hill Book Company. Inc.
Linton, Ralph 1955 - The Tree of Cullure, New York, Alfred A. K n o p f .
1461 (11, 196t (21 and 1965 (3). Though tliese sites come froni a cc\nsiderably grester periotl of tirne than t h e 500 year pcriod we are r.on<i,rnetl witli Iicrc, 1 feel tliat probably this pottery traditiori was prewnt in al1 tliese arcai during Our period of reference.
A gcoeral tlcscription of iliis pottery is being 1)ublishecl (SOLHEIM 1965
( a ) ,
but would bc wortlirwhilc repeatiiig i t here :<( 'Ilic potteiy of this tradition is cliaracterized as a sopliisticate(1,
teclinologically wcll-matlc poitery with variation i n decoration aiid riiiic.:ii variety iii forrii. Siirfa(,c markings on vessels frorn many sites intlicate tlie usc of sorne forrn of a slow wheel in riianufacture. T h e usc of pa(l(1le ancl anvil is also irniportaiit in manufacture. Surfa,ces are usirally well snioothetl, if not ~)atterned, and are often highly polislied.
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Jlic use of wrapped or t:arvetl pstldles i n rrianufaeture was not uncom- inon, as shown by tlie cortl-nisrked pottery of aJl coniplexes except f ~ r tlia Kalanay cornplex, sntl the less cominon patterns from basketry wr:ippad paddles as groavecl n ( l crossetl carvecl patldles. Patldle tleconation appears to be eez,rly. Red slipping is common.
<( Decoration incliides e'lemcnts macle by incising, inipressing,
piiinting. aritl carïing. Htxsicles tlie impressed decoration from a carvecl o r bourid padtlle, tliere are siriiple tool impressions of punctuatioiis aritl circles, antl coiiil)uund tool iinpressions frorn a dentate tool and frorn Arca shells. Painting, always found within inciseNd bordcrs, is tloiie in red, or rarely, in recl aiitl black, botli on tlie natural tan b:iriigroiiiid. Carving is iizetl to notch or scallop rims or Elanges. T h e patterns of tlccoration are coninionly iri horizontal bands, and iiicludc 1-eriical or diagonal reciznguSulsr elemciits, curvilinear scrolls, rectan- giilai. scrolls or meantlers, zigzags, triangles, ancl chevrons
...
T h e inci- s c ~ l tiecoration is ofteri eiiipliasizetl by impressed punctiiations or circlcs, painting, or more rarely by a white inlay i n tlie incisecl linca 'p. 183) ( 3 ) ..< The great variety in form is brought about by different cornbi-
rutions of tlirec prirnary forms : the cylinder, the truncatcd coiie, antl tlie spliere lnot truly splicrird but rounded) (p. 183). I n the
( 1 ) Ciolheim I I , Wilhelrn G. - 1961 - hd. of Sa-huynh P o t t e r y R e l a t i o n ' s h i p s in S o u t h e a s t Asia, Asian P,erspectives, I I I l i i ) , 97-188.
( 2 ) Solheim II. Wilhelni G. -- 1964 - The Archaeology of C e n t r a l Philippin'es : A S t u d y Chi'efly of the I r o n Age a n d i t s Relalionships, M a n i l a , Monographs of t h e National I n s t i t u t e of Science a n d Technology, nl1 10.
( 3 ) Solheim I I , Wilhelm G. - 1965 - F u r t h e r Relationships of t h e Sa-huynh-Kalanay Pottery Tradition, Asian Perspectives, VI11 ( i n p r e s s ) .
( 4 ) Solheim I I , Wilhelm G. - 1965 - 'Two P o t t e r y Traditions of L a t e Prehistoric
Times in S o u t h e a s t Asia, Proceedings of t h e Gol'den Jubilee Congress, University of HongdKong. ( i n p r e s s ) .
( 5 ) Solheini I I , Wilhelm G. - 1961 - S a - h u y n h Reiated P o t t e r y in S o u t h e a s t Asia, Asian Ferspecti~ves, II I (iii) 177-,188.
- 38 - IXDONI:SIAN (:IJI.'I'URF. AND h f A 1 . 4 ~ 4 ~ ~ ORICINS
various combinations of t l ~ e s e l ~ r i m a r y forms there is often an angle at the line of change froiii one form to the otlier and not unconiiiionly the angle is accentetl witli a flange. Both liigh and low ring stan~ls are iised, having been iiia'tle snparately froni the rest of the vesacl a ~ i d ihen joined togetlier. Rounded bottoiiis are the most cûmmoii b a t flat bottonis are present. Very rare tetrapods are found i n the Phiiippines antl
...
tripods are prescnt in Malaya. Multiple rims are occasionally found, added one above the other. The ring stands, aiiti otlier portions of vessels, are often prrforated ».More tletailed tlescriptions of seversl of the pottery complexes luund within tliis tradition presents more of the variety of the pot- tfxry and shoiiltl be of interest for coiiiparative purposes if this pottery is fouiid in Madagascar. A specific example of the importance of tliis variation might be the presence on rnsny vessels of tlie Sa-huynli coin;,lex in Annarn of «
...
a blackisli, probably polished surface, as i l graphite had been sprearl orer tlic outer surface » (p. 177).J a r burial has been fourid iii a nuniber of tlie sites witli Ss- Iiuyriii-Kalanay pottery, so it could very well be found i n Mldagasrar, u l t h large ovoid jars, with eitlicr a special pottery lid or large worked stoiie for a lid ( J A N S E 1961 ; SOJ.HEIM 1965) (1-2).
71ie last Iialf of the first niilleniuin B.C. saw bot11 stone ancl metpl in use for tools. Polislied stone adzes, rectangular in cross scrtion, or possibly trapezoidnl, are ofteri assoriated with the Sa- liuynh-Kalanay pottery and inay well be found i n Madagascar. Bronze sc*cketed axes and/or iron sockcted ancl/or tanged tools rould bc found in the earliest sitcs in Madapsscar.
Urnaments of mucli variety will probably be fouiid. Ornnments of non-Indoriesian or Soutlieast Asian types coultl be found as thcse coulc'. easily have been picked u p in India or Africa during the move- ment t o Jlatlagascar. From Soutlieast Asia and Indonesia could conir sloiie and transparent grrcn glass beads. Bracelets of stone, green glass, or shell i n several rlifferent forins may be found.
T h e lack of publiahed data on sites of approximately Our period ol inrerest prevents furtlier profitable conjecture on specific elemeiits of niaterinl culture that niay be founcl in archaeological sites in Ma- d'igsscar.
ELONOMY
No attempt is macle in tliis ancl the followinp section t o present
(1) Janse, Olov. R.T. 1961 - Some Notes on the Sa-huynh Complex, Asian Perspee- t h e s , III ' ( i i ) , 109-111.
( 2 ) So!heilm II, Wilhem G. - 1965
-
Further Relationships of the Sa-huynti-KalanayPottery Tradition. A s i s n P e r î p e e l i v e s , VI11 ( i n press).
a roundet1 and cornplete picturc. of t h e non-material culture of the Malngssy Indonesian ancestors. Only scattered elements of this culture are inentioned witli hopes that they may give useful suggestions for reroiitruction of the culture represented i n the early prehistoric sitcs to be found and excavated.
l t woiiltl seern to me that there were three general kintls of Iiido- nesian voyagers that found tlieir way to Madagascar. In different areas of Soutlicast Asia and Indoilesia today there are botli fiill time profcssioiinad sailor-traders and part-time sailor-fisher-farrners. T h e former work back and fortli along some coastal area in their relatively small sail and power boats transporting passengers ancl local produce.
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l h e latter inight be considered primarly a farmer as h e owns an11 works his own lantl but his responsibility in tlie agricultural cycle requires liis presence for only two or three inonths out of t h e year wiiile tlie women i n tlie fatnily are mucli inore concerned with the farming. When h e is not needed at lionle he may spend considerable time fishing or do a bit of part tirne trading of his own o r neighbors' protluce. Some tribes, such as the Iban in Sarawak, have a tradition tliat the young men, and older men too on occasion, leave the commu- nity for several years while they traveil far and wide ; most of them, but not all, to return after five to ten years to raise a family and stay, more o r less, at home. One of the appnrent purposes of this voyaging was to scout out new areas of virgin jungle for future set- tienieiit by these slash-and-burn fariners (FREEMAN 1955) (1).
These three kinds of voyagers were probably present during our period of interest as well. The full time trader coultl very well have b ~ c o m e scattercd along the colists from Indonesia, along both coasts o i India, over to Africa antl down t o Madagascar. T h e permanent fnr- mer wlio would ordinarily return to his farm for a period every year would no1 have gottcn very far d o n g this route of trade but woiild liavr been i n contact with those who had and would hear from thein siories of t h e far distant lands. T h e young man out for adventure, Iiowcver, in ten years time could well work liis way a t least to India aritl eome rases could have gone as f a r as Madagascar ancl then re- tiirner home.
There is n o indication of inhabitants on Madagascar before the arriva1 of t h e Indonesians (MURDOCK 1959) (21. T h e full time traders reaching here would have found an uninliabited land of little interest but any o l t h e young adventurers from a slash-and-burn Society woultl liavc fourid the nossibilities of this island very excitinrr. Stories of ilic islan,l wouldLhave worked back t o southeait Asia and Indonesia
(1) Freeman. J.D. 1955 - Iban Agriculture, London, Her Majesty's S t a t i o n e r y Office
( 2 ) Murdock, Gelorge P e t e r - 1959 -- Africa, its People3 and their Cullure History,
New York, Mc Graw-Hi11 Book Company, Inc.
<so that eiiher the iiioving slasli-nnd-burn, the setlcntary slash-and-burri, or thc permanent fariner coultl have known of tliis island and decided tliat, because the country was so crowded at home, this would be a gooci place to iiiove to. T h e farmrrs, of wliatcver variety, could have broaght youiig wives, or fdriiilies, witli them al1 t h e way £rom Sou- tlieast Asia or Indonesia. T h e women i n this area today do not of-en move very far liowever, so, if it was tlie same i n t h e past, i t may be tliat not inany faniilies nioved al1 the way from Southeast Asi? or Indanesi&.
Unlikc the part tinie voyager, tlie fiill tiine voyager probably hsd liis fauiily with or hqcl tliem a t a lioiiic port situatecl anywliere along this great length of cosstline. They probably prodiiccd a surplus of tj,,ughters as t h e sons woultl haxe gone itito the tlangerous trntler7s life while t h e daughters woulcl have remairied at liûme where there probably was less chance of early tleath. Here was a source of wives for tlie ntlventurers ; wives witli generrlly similar lalues 'in11 who spoke tlie Zingua franca the young men understood. T h e traders would pro- bably be pleased t o have a d m g h t e r marry one of these young men antl go with hini to Alaclagascar to start slnsli-and-burn farming 2nd to gathcr forest products, and wliatever otlier niaterials Matlsgnscar niiglit have been able to produce.
S l a s h - ~ n d - b i i r n farming thus woiild probably Iiave been t h e eco- iioiiiic b a w for the newly arrivctl Indonesians but they would also have growii the taro, bananss. and other footls they were used to, plus dogs and chichens. They would Iiave known fishing, so both fresh wat2r fisliing. with many kinds of traps. weirs, and possibly poisons, and 3alt water fisliing, with nets and spears. would have been inipor- tant. Besides these food protlucts, honey, beeswsx, and many otlier prociiicts ~ l i a t coule1 be gatliered from t h e forests for trsde with their trader relatives would have been of importance.
T h e first Indonesia settlers, even though they may have been perriianent fariiiers back i n Inclonesia or Southeast Asia, probably dicl not know irripatetl rice fzrming. Tliere are no indications from ar- charology that irrigation of rice was known in Southeast Asia before t h e l q i n r i i n g of t h e Christian era. Once it was begun it only spreatl slowly into some areas. T h e irrigation of rice may have been picked u p after a stay i n India f o r a tinie, or it msy well be that a continuing sniail trickle of settlers cainc frorn Soutlieast Asia and Indoncsia for several hundred years and those tliat left after rice irrigation harl startecl i n the east, introtluced it ii-ito Madagascar at a l s t e r date.
SOCIAL ORCANIZATION
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l h e r c is considerable variation of detail in the social organization of Southelist Asia, but tliere are ccrtain elenirnts of orgsnization that are rery widely spreacl.
7 7
Llicrt- was a tlistinct sexusl division of labor as lias alreatly bcen rioted, but with this t h r r e was a near cquality in tlie position of riieii and women. Bilateral kinsliip is the generïl rule with considerable variation of residencc after mawiage, probsbly t h e most comnion praticc being for tlic new couple to live near parents from whom t h r y coultl inherit more. With virgin land svsilable for the working a new couple often is neolocal.
Àntlications of individu11 accuniulstion i n wealth, and probably witli that, prcstige, are evitlent in sorne of the nrchaeological sites rontaininp Sa-huynli-Kalanay pottery. Thcre are no intlications of political oiganizntion hcyond family ties but with cliffcrences i n status due to differential weïltli more complcx organizntion of power witliin commiinities roiild cnsily come into any of these societies as happenecl i n inany c.ises in Soutlicast Asia and Intlonesia during the first lialf of tlie first inilleniuni A.D. followirig Iridian influence.
Religion was organizetl arouritl ancestor worship and general ap- peasement of local spirits. Thcre were apparently no full time religions specialists but tlicre wcre probably part tiiiie spccialists as some of the ceremonies were I ~ r o b a b l y rsther co~iiplcx. These part time specia- lists no (loubt Iiad more than the ordinzry prcstige but tliere was no indication that the religion could become an organizetl religion wilh a cliurcli dnd a hicrarchy of priests. This itlca coultl, however, comc in from the outsitle, as i t clid with both Butldhism an11 Islgm in Sou~lleast Asiï and Occania.
I t is likely that early Maclagascsr societies werc relatively open witli wealtli differential, but with the possibility, an11 desirïhility, of a Irian or family improving its position by h ï r d work, 11~11) from tlic ancestors. and no hintlrance by the loca! spirits.
R É S U ' M É
W . S O L H E I M dia nitantara izay fantatra ankehilriny m o m b a n y sivilizasiona indorteziana tamin' n y fiandohan' n y arivo taona voa- lohany airr~n' izao fotoana iainantsika izao. Fahizay n y slssany tamin' i z y rreo dia anganiba nisaraka tamin' n y maro k a nanaraka n y morony andrefana amin' rzy Ranornasina Indiana. Asehony ilay hevitr' i MURDOCK m o m b a n y toerana nisrhoan' n y koltora indoneziana ary tadiaviny zzay marina amin' izany, t o y izany koa n y amin' n y hevitr' i LINTON niomba n y << firaisarnben' i Azia Atsimo 2. Marihiny koa fa
n y jampitahana n y endriky n y vilalrty t a n y d i a ahitana hevitra vaovao rnarnba n y fifindran-tany taloha. N y ililany tamiri' ire0 razanz-ben' n y
~Mablgasy avy amin' n y tarazo Sa-Hiiynli-Kalanay. Irro toeranu n i p e - tmhan' n y olona fahizay dia ntety ahitana fanzaky vato, na v y sy fi- taovana hafa izay nzitovy endrika amin' rzy a n y lndonezia tamin' izany fotocna izany. Amin' n y haingon-javatra kosu dia karazan' n y a v y a n y India na Afrika n o tokony h o hira kou.
N y ainin' irro hrvitra naroso moniba riy toe-karena na fiazinam- batioaka hosa dia hita fa nanan-toerana lehibe t r o amin' n y f a m b o l ~ n a
n y tatly, ary tsy nisy k092 IL? tanintbary tondra-drano. Izany toe- javatra izany dia nohantarinin' n y farrdinihana ILY teny.
W . S O L H E I M establishes ~>recisely w h a t i t k n o w n u p t o d s t e of t h e a n c i ~ n t Indonesian civilisation at t h e beginning of t h e first ,millenary of ozir era, a period uihen sonze of ils m r m b e r s perhaps broke away and emigrated t o t h e western shores of t h e Indian Ocean. H e sets o u t and discusses MURDOCK'S theory of t h e Indonesian cultural impact and L I N T O N ' S idea of a << Soiitk Asiatic C o m p l e x ». H e also notes t h a t t h e çontparative study of styles i n pottery had .added n e w data t o our knouiledge of t h e ancient migrations. T h e pottery of t h e Proto-Mala- gasy of lndonesian origin is probably connected w i t h t h e S a - H u y n h - Kalanay tradition. T h e oldrst Malagasy sites m a y yield stone or metal axes and adzes sinrilar t o t h e Zndonrsian shapes of this period. As to ornaments, w r must expect i n addition a variety of types coming froni Africa and India. A s regards t h e assunzptions about t h e arzcient eco- n a m i c and social system, w e must note t h e importance of slash-and- b r ~ r r ~ agriculture and tliv absence o f flooding in rice-growing, sui>- p o n ~ i o n s apparently confirnled b y linguistic research.
