This complex of colossal, interconnected caverns is located near the west coast of Borneo Island at the centre of Niah National Park. It contains the longest known records of human interaction with rainforest, spanning at least 50,000 years, from the Pleistocene to the Mid-Holocene periods. The rich archaeological deposits, prehistoric rock paintings and boat-shaped burials found at the northern edge of the massif illustrate biological and human life during this time, and contribute greatly to the knowledge of human development, adaptation and migration in southeast Asia, as well as in a global context. Local communities still observe an ancient tradition of molong – ‘take only what you need’— when harvesting guano and valuable edible bird’s nests from the caves.

Brief synthesis The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex, located in Niah National Park on the west coast of Borneo Island, is a group of archaeological sites that contain the longest-known records of human interaction with rainforests. Within a complex of colossal interconnected caverns and caves located in a limestone massif, are archaeological sites, rock paintings, and boat-shaped coffins. This rich evidence demonstrates a multifaceted process of human development and adaptation to the physical environment, specifically to the modification of the tropical rainforest from at least 50,000 years ago to the Mid-Holocene, including the transition from foraging to rice farming, arboriculture, and vegeculture. The findings here have contributed significantly to the debate over the nature of the early dispersal of ancient humans across this region and globally. Criterion (iii): The Niah Caves Complex contains archaeological evidence that represents an exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions of the two disconnected populations in the distant past who existed from the Pleistocene to the Mid-Holocene, exhibiting the rainforest lifestyles, forest management systems (vegeculture), and elaborate funerary practices of prehistoric humans. It contributes significantly to the existing knowledge of human development, adaptation, and dispersal in Southeast Asia and in a global context. Criterion (v): The Niah Caves Complex is an outstanding example of very…