Historical and linguistic perspectives on fortified settlements in Southeastern Wallacea: Far eastern Timor in the context of southern Maluku

Abstract

The remains of fortified settlements in far eastern Timor have attracted the attention of archaeologists and led to speculation regarding the underlying drivers of fortification. In this paper, I draw attention to the fact that fortified settlements were not a localised development in far eastern Timor, but in fact are characteristic of a large swathe of southern Maluku. Using evidence from the historical record and from language, I contend that fortified settlement building cannot be attributed to particular climatic or socioeconomic conditions, but is best understood as a cultural feature diffused on a regional level.