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When did Austronesian peoples arrive in Melanesia from Southeast Asia?

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Map of the Pacific Ocean region showing three major culture areas highlighted in different colors: Micronesia in purple, Melanesia in green, and Polynesia in yellow. The map includes labeled islands and island groups such as Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, Guam, and the Marshall Islands, with the culture area boundaries spanning across the central and southern Pacific.
Melanesian culture

Austronesian peoples began arriving in Melanesia from Southeast Asia approximately 4,000 years ago. By 3,500 years ago, these populations had established themselves in parts of the Bismarck Archipelago, where their presence is identified by the distinctive pottery, tools, and shell ornaments of the Lapita culture.12