It has been one of the mostly asked questions of Filipino Archeologist regarding of how the Island

Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines has been populated. Many theories has been presented but are still

insufficient to establish an account that will satisfy the matter.

Dr. Robert Fox, a prominent American anthropologist who greatly contributed to the first major scientific

excavation in the archipelago firmly suggests that early humans came from the main land South-East Asia then

to Island South-East Asia then to Pacific Region, based on his interview in ‘The Philippine Story’, a video taken

and posted on YouTube.com (2009). In connection to this, Fox and members of National Museum conducted

their excavation in Lippun Point, Quezon, Palawan.in a limestone cave (which we now know as Tabon Cave)

with the help of some Tagbanuas who were highly-skilled in utilizing native tools and still practicing old

practices and traditions, especially, burial jars.

Tabon Cave was popularized because of the number of jars found in it as well as stone tools that were

exposed, sign that people have inhabited the cave. But the problem that they have met is that, the stratigraphy of

the site has been highly-disturbed. Another stunning discovery is the Manunggul jar in Manuggul Cave with an

approximately appeared in 8th century B.C. This may suggest the practice of respect to the ancestors by the early

men as burial jars appeared 3,000 years ago, long after the approximated time of arrival and inhabitation of

early human in Tabon Cave, 9,000 to 50,000 years ago.

Also, one of the most remarkable discovery in this series of caves is the discovery of a higher cave that

also contained jars but what really matters is that, it has sea shell fossils in it; remains which were not found in

Tabon Cave. This may be contributed by the Last Glacial Maxima that introduced sea shells on humans during

those times.

These evidences presented by Dr. Fox may have supported well-accepted idea that the people of the

Philippines have migrated from mainland Asia thousands of years ago. But recent finding may suggest that

there could also be a possibility that evolution may have started in Asia, particularly, Philippines.

According to an article entitled ‘Site hints at Asian roots for human genus: New finds in Caucasus suggest

non-African origin for ancient Homo species’ by Bruce Bower (sciencenews.org., 2011), a new evidences

showed that species occupies a West Asian site called Dmanisi from 1.85 million to 1.77 million years ago, at

the same time or slightly before the earliest evidence of this humanlike species in Africa’. As quoted by Harvard

University anthropologist Philip Rightmire,” It certainly looks as though the African origin of H. Erectus must

be considered.” If it does in a West Asian site, how can it not be in the Philippines?

Another article tackles about another discovery regarding human evolution. This article entitled ‘Finds in

South Africa Continue to Shake Current Models of Human Evolution” (2011) presents the discovery of new

species of Australopithecus: Australopithecus sediba dated to be approximately 1.78 to 1.95 million years ago,

consisting of a mosaic of primitive features characteristic of other Australopithecus species and more advance

features typical of later Homo genus. The most striking finding in here is that it shaken the idea that the

development of larger brain was a salient factoring the development of the more human-like pelvis of Homo

thus, further strengthens the theory that bipedal movement may have been preceded larger brain development.

This may suggest that if we could find any trace of a highly-acceptable candidate for human evolution in the

islands, then we can say that that they have developed their bipedal system first and roam the archipelago as

gatherers before they have developed their skills in stone tool making.

In connection to this possibilities, an older human remains (67,000 years old) has been excavated in Callao

Cave; older the The Tabon Man. According to the article “67,000 Year-Old Callao Man & the National Cultural

Heritage Act of 2009” (2010), the remain includes a metatarsal bone that it became significant since it can prove

that there is a possibility of that early humans already have the capacity to travel 67,000 years ago.

Human past is a world of mysteries, confusions, mazes and other mid-twirling games. Though may say that

it is already in the past so why you still have to learn it, we can never deny the fact that learning from the past

makes it easier for us to understand why and how these things are happening nowadays. And for a Filipino like

me and you, we have the responsibility of acquiring knowledge that can be read in these remains of our

ancestors to make us realize that we have to protect our very own heritage and to cherish our own roots.

References:

Bower, Bruce (2011). Possiblity of Human origin outside Africa. “Site hints at Asian roots for human genus:

New finds in Caucasus suggest non-African origin for ancient Homo species”. Retrieved from

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/330839/title/Site_hints_at_Asian_roots_for_human_genus on

September 22, 2011.

2011. Possible development of humans in an unexpected place or site. “Finds in South Africa Continue to Shake

Current Models of Human Evolution”. Retrieved on September 22, 2011 from

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/april-2011/article/finds-in-south-africa-continue-to-shake-current-models-

of-human-evolution.

Reyes, Oli (2010). Evidence of early human before Tabon Man. “67,000 Year-Old Callao Man & the National

Cultural Heritage Act of 2009”. Retrieved from http://lawinnovations.wordpress.com/tag/callao-man/ on

September 22, 2011.