The 20th Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association meeting was a success. This was my first IPPA and I was quite pleased. Regional conferences have their downsides (eg, a total lack of statistical competency by many speakers), but they are great for catching up on the latest in-progress research by your colleagues.

This slide compares various dates for Marianas colonization.

The big debate for Pacific Island archaeologists concerned the colonization of the Marianas: how is this related to Lapita in the Bismarcks and pottery assemblages in Island Southeast Asia? Scott Fitzpatrick, Mike Carson, and Olaf Winter (along with commentators like Peter Bellwood, Jim Specht, and Roger Blench) all weighed in.

Out on the town with colleagues.

Bayon temple at Angkor Tom where conference delegates took a field trip.

The conference also provided a good opportunity to hang out with colleagues in a great part of the world

And the Lotus Blanc Hotel makes the best gin and tonic I’ve had in a long time…

Next up the Spatial Dynamics in Oceania conference in Paris at the end of the month.