當我們在探討遠大洋洲的史前南島聚落時，密克羅尼西亞這個區域的研究呈現幾道難題。根據歷史學和民族學的研究，密克羅尼西亞人一直保持著多線的長距離往來，在這樣視野之下，他們古代文化的起源是複雜而不清楚的，而且這些現生的不同文化族群之間又緊密聯繫。依據考古學證據以及歷史語言學的研究，無論如何，密克羅尼西亞的不同族群有其各具特色的文化史；穿越數以百計這麼多小島嶼，目前至少可以辨別出五個不同的移民事件，它們最早發生於距今3500年前、並持續到距今1000年以內。其後，較晚發展成形的長距離島嶼間的接觸和網絡取代了這些早期移民的遷移路線。本文對於密克羅尼西亞考古學的研究闡明了南島語族遷移和發展的年代，從一個較宏觀的亞太觀點來看，此項研究結果解決了密克羅尼西亞文化史一些複雜而惱人的問題。密克羅尼西亞包括了太平洋西北部的幾百個小島，它們多是小的珊瑚環礁或是小島，但有少數是較大或較高的島嶼。這些密克羅尼西亞的島民在擴散到這麼廣大的區域的同時，必須適應許多小島的環境。在今日的密克羅尼西亞，不同的文化群體秉持他們自己的傳統而生活在多樣化而分散的地區，但是他們也共享了由長期接觸和長距離移動下所形成的傳統。在現代的脈絡下，長距離航行和島嶼之間的接觸是密克羅尼西亞眾所皆知的傳統，這些內部之間彼此連繫的傳統，自然而然的覆蓋了這些島上早期聚落的古老紀錄。本文的回顧是基於考古的證據和歷史語言學的重要貢獻，去追溯人們首度在密克羅尼西亞不同島嶼定居的重要事件，在這樣的目標下，語言的歷史提供了重要的線索，但是考古學則提供了最好的物質證據和伴隨的絕對年代。根據近來的證據，密克羅尼西亞的島民之定居過程耗時了幾千年才完成。最早的移民發生在3500年前由島嶼東南亞來到馬里亞那群島。第二次的大移民則是稍晚之後，大約是在距今3000年前，從島嶼東南亞的它處來到帛琉。第三次的大移民則是大約在距今2000年前或是甚至更早，從美拉尼西亞的島嶼來到雅蒲島。第四次的大移民則是2000年前、其後並延續了100～200年，從美拉尼西亞的島嶼或玻里尼西亞來到密克羅尼西亞的中部和東部。第五次在密克羅尼西亞的移民則是一個較不尋常的例子，發生在距今1000年之內，移民是來自玻里尼西亞的社群、由東到西，進駐到密克羅尼西亞為數不多未有人定居或極低度開發的地區。除了殖民定居，其後這些人群與其它社群有了往來互動，因而，社群網絡、貿易以及其它的伙伴關係成為密克羅尼西亞文化史的重要特色。許多人群移動穿梭在這廣大的區域之中。此一網絡關係展現了長時期的社群聯結以及文化交流，這些過程在文化呈現和認同的演進中是相當重要的，然而不同的殖民事件顯然有不同的歷程。

When considering prehistoric Austronesian settlement of Remote Oceania, the region of Micronesia has posed some difficult problems. According to historical and ethnographic knowledge, the people of Micronesia sustained multiple long-distance contacts. In these perspectives, ancient cultural origins are complicated and unclear, and the separate cultural groups appear tightly inter-connected. According to archaeological evidence and historical linguistic studies, however, the different groups of Micronesia have distinctive cultural histories. Across these hundreds of very small islands, at least five different colonizing migration episodes can be discerned, beginning 3500 years ago and continuing into the last 1000 years. These earliest migration routes later were over-written by newer traditions of long-distance inter-island contacts and networks. This summary of Micronesian archaeology clarifies the chronology of Austronesian migrations and developments. The results resolve some of the complications and frustrations of Micronesian culture history within a larger Asia-Pacific perspective. Micronesia consists of hundreds of islands in the northwest Pacific. Most of these islands are tiny coral atolls and other small islands, but a few are larger or taller masses. The Micronesian islanders have adapted to their environment of many small islands, spread over a broad region. Within Micronesia today, different cultural groups live with their own traditions in the numerous separate areas, but they also share traditions of long-term contact and long-distance mobility. In a modern context, Micronesia is known for traditions of long-distance voyaging and inter-island contacts. These interconnecting traditions have overlain the ancient records of first settlement of the islands. This review is based mainly on archaeological evidence, with important input from historical linguistics. The goal is to trace the major events of settlement in the different islands of Micronesia. For this goal, language histories offer important clues, but archaeology provides the best material evidence in association with absolute dating. According to current evidence, the peopling of Micronesia took place over several thousands of years. The first colonizing event occurred in the Mariana Islands about 3500 years ago, from a source in Island Southeast Asia. The second event was slightly later, about 3000 years ago in Palau, from a different source in Island Southeast Asia. The third was in Yap, evident by 2000 years ago but perhaps earlier, coming probably from Island Melanesia. The fourth was also about 2000 years ago and continuing over 100.200 years throughout most of central and eastern Micronesia, and these populations came probably from Island Melanesia or perhaps parts of Polynesia. The fifth migration settlement in Micronesia was an unusual case within the last 1000 years, when Polynesian communities moved from east to west and settled in the few remaining uninhabited or under-utilized spaces of Micronesia. In addition to the colonizing settlements, people later were involved in several interactions with other communities. As a result, networks of communication, trade, and other partnerships characterized much of the cultural history of Micronesia. Many people were mobile across this broad region. The networking created long-term inter-communications and exchange of culture. These processes were important in the development of cultural expression and identity, but they were significantly different from the events of colonizing migrations.