AD 1-1600

During this period the western Pacific area was extremely diverse both linguistically and culturally. According to some estimates, 1000 languages could be found in Melanesia. The people lived by a variety of means from hunting and fishing to shifting agriculture (where farmers move to a new patch of land each year) and the cultivation of root crops such as taro, yams and sweet potato.

In some areas taro cultivation involved the construction of complex terraces and pond systems while in parts of Melanesia the well-drained soils were more suitable for growing yams. The areca palm was also cultivated for its betel nuts, which were chewed, a habit which probably spread from South-east Asia. Beautiful examples of betel-chewing equipment especially the carved spatulas which are used to mix the betel with powdered lime have been found in New Guinea.

Trade between islands was common and sea-going canoes were made by many communities. As well as the considerable expertise in canoe production, these people had formidable navigational skills. Such knowledge included being able to adjust to currents and wind drift as well as being attuned to movements of the clouds and other indicators of currents and ocean swells.