Lapita expansion into Remote Oceania (c. 1600–500 BCE)

1. Classic Lapita emerges in the Bismarck Archipelago

   Jan 1, 1600 BCELabels: Bismarck Archipelago, Dentate-stamped pottery

   • Britannica
   • Smarthistory

2. Lapita named after New Caledonia type-site

   Jan 1, 1600 BCELabels: New Caledonia, Lapita pottery

   • Britannica
   • NZ Te Ara

3. Lapita spreads into the Solomon Islands chain

   Jan 1, 1500 BCELabels: Solomon Islands, Lapita expansion

   • Britannica

4. Lapita communities established in the Bismarcks

   Jan 1, 1600 BCELabels: Bismarck Archipelago, Lapita communities

   • Britannica
   • UCLA Cotsen

5. Talepakemalai stilt-house settlement at Mussau

   Jan 1, 1300 BCELabels: Talepakemalai, Mussau Islands

   • UCLA Cotsen
   • Smarthistory

6. Talepakemalai stilt-house village in Mussau

   Jan 1, 1300 BCELabels: Talepakemalai, Mussau Islands

   • UCLA Cotsen
   • UCLA Cotsen

7. Teouma Lapita cemetery established on Efate

   Jan 1, 1200 BCELabels: Teouma, Efate

   • APSF
   • Teouma

8. Rapid push begins toward Remote Oceania

   Jan 1, 1200 BCELabels: Remote Oceania, Lapita voyagers

   • NZ Te Ara
   • Britannica

9. Lapita reaches Reef and Santa Cruz Islands

   Jan 1, 1100 BCELabels: Reef Islands, Santa Cruz

   • PNAS PMC
   • Archaeologs

10. Lapita settlement spreads into Vanuatu

    Jan 1, 1100 BCELabels: Vanuatu, Lapita settlement

    • NZ Te Ara
    • Antiquity

11. Lapita settlement begins in Fiji (Bourewa)

    Jan 1, 1100 BCELabels: Bourewa, Fiji

    • arXiv
    • Britannica

12. Lapita settlement established in Samoa (Mulifanua)

    Jan 1, 1000 BCELabels: Mulifanua, Samoa

    • Mulifanua
    • PNAS PMC

13. Mulifanua Lapita pottery recovered in Samoa

    Jan 1, 1000 BCELabels: Mulifanua, Samoa

    • Samoan Studies
    • Britannica

14. Lapita settlement begins in Tonga at Nukuleka

    Jan 1, 900 BCELabels: Nukuleka, Tonga

    • PNAS PMC
    • Britannica

15. New Caledonia Lapita pottery traditions documented

    Jan 1, 1000 BCELabels: New Caledonia, Lapita pottery

    • Britannica
    • NC Museum

16. Lapita interaction sphere spans western Polynesia

    Jan 1, 900 BCELabels: Western Polynesia, Interaction sphere

    • Britannica
    • PNAS PMC

17. Lapita reaches Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa

    Jan 1, 900 BCELabels: Fiji Tonga, Lapita expansion

    • NZ Te Ara
    • Britannica

18. Decorated Lapita pottery production declines in Samoa

    Jan 1, 800 BCELabels: Samoa, Pottery decline

    • Lapita culture
    • Mulifanua

19. Polynesian Plainware phase emerges in Tonga

    Jan 1, 800 BCELabels: Tonga, Polynesian Plainware

    • Tonga Chronology
    • Britannica

20. Lapita complex wanes after Tonga–Samoa frontier

    Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: Tonga Samoa, Lapita waning

    • PNAS PMC
    • Britannica

21. Decorated Lapita ceramics begin simplifying

    Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: West Polynesia, Post-Lapita

    • Britannica
    • Tonga Chronology

22. Lapita site at Foué gives culture its name

    Jan 1, 520 BCELabels: Fou, New Caledonia

    • Lapita culture
    • Guardian

23. Lapita expansion era closes by 500 BCE

    Jan 1, 500 BCELabels: Lapita horizon, Island Melanesia

    • Britannica
    • NZ Te Ara

24. Lapita cultural horizon ends across Oceania

    Jan 1, 500 BCELabels: Remote Oceania, Lapita horizon

    • Britannica
    • Smarthistory