| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Satellite image of the wider Kuk Swamp area | |
| Location | Papua New Guinea, Western Highlands Province |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 887 |
| Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
| Area | 116 ha (290 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 195 ha (480 acres) |
| Coordinates | 5°47′1.36″S 144°19′54.2″E / 5.7837111°S 144.331722°E |
Kuk Swamp is an archaeological site in Papua New Guinea, that lies in the Wahgi Valley of the highlands at an altitude of about 1550 m some 12–13 km northeast of Mount Hagen, the capital of Western Highlands Province.[1][2] The swamp developed in a former lake basin, as it was filled by an alluvial fan or deposits of water-transported material. Archaeological evidence for early agricultural drainage systems was found here, beginning about 9,000 years ago. It includes draining ditches of three major classes, which were used to convert the area to an anthropogenic grassland. The native crop taro was grown here.
In addition, evidence of cultivation of bananas and sugar cane has been found, estimated to have begun 6,900 – 6,400 years ago. The Kuk Swamp was recognized in 2008 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was one of the places in the world where people independently developed agriculture.