Revisiting the Kjøkkenmøddinger of Aceh–North Sumatra: Reconnecting Dispersed Archaeological Collections and Coastal Prehistory of Sumatra

Taufiqurrahman Setiawan1*, Marlin Tolla1, Ketut Wiradnyana1, Harry Widianto1, Amanda Henry2, Henki Riko3, Eduard Pop4, and Sofwan Noerwidi1

1Pusat Riset Arkeometri, Organisasi Riset Arkeologi, Bahasa, dan Sastra, Badan Riset Inovasi Nasional (BRIN), Indonesia; 2Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, The Netherlands; 3Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; 4Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; *tauf030@brin.go.id

The eastern coast of Aceh and North Sumatra preserves a series of shell midden sites (kjøkkenmøddinger) that represent some of the most important archaeological evidence for early coastal communities in Island Southeast Asia. These sites were first excavated during the early twentieth century by researchers such as H. M. E. Schürmann and Van Stein Callenfels, producing significant collections of human skeletal remains, lithic artefacts – particularly Sumatraliths – and faunal assemblages associated with prehistoric subsistence activities. However, much of this material is now dispersed across multiple institutions, particularly in European museums, while many of the original sites have been damaged or lost. As a result, the archaeological potential of these collections has not been fully explored. This research revisits the archaeological record of the Aceh–North Sumatra shell middens by reintegrating dispersed collections, archival excavation reports, and comparative materials curated in both Indonesian and international repositories. Through this integrative approach, the study seeks to reconstruct aspects of coastal lifeways, subsistence strategies, and human occupation patterns associated with these prehistoric communities. This research highlights the role of Sumatra as a key crossroads in the prehistoric Indo-Pacific. By reconnecting fragmented archaeological data, the study contributes to a more holistic understanding of cultural interactions, mobility, and environmental adaptation that shaped the prehistoric landscapes of Sumatra and the wider Southeast Asian region.