Archeology 1 (1/3)

Summary

The video script details the Neolithic period in the Philippines, spanning from 7,000 to 2,000 years ago, marked by advanced stone tools and early agriculture. It features Dr. Robert Fox, an authority on Philippine prehistory, who discusses the discovery of various stone and shell tools, including a gouge for carving boats and an axe for clearing land. The script also covers the excavation of Tabon Cave, where over 200 burial jars and Stone Age tools were found, indicating continuous human habitation for thousands of years. The Tagbanua people, indigenous to Palawan, assisted in the excavation, potentially unearthing artifacts from their own ancestors.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ The period from 7,000 to 2,000 years ago in the Philippines is known as the Neolithic period.
• 🚣‍♂️ During this era, people sailed to the islands, practiced agriculture, and had advanced stone technology.
• 🛠️ The late Professor H Utley's collection includes various Neolithic tools like gouges and axes, indicating the craftsmanship of the time.
• 🌊 Shell tools found suggest that early inhabitants may have migrated from Asia through the Philippines into the Pacific islands.
• 👕 Bark cloth beaters, with grooves for making tree bark clothing, were among the artifacts discovered.
• 🏺 Beautiful nephrite jade tools, estimated at over 5,000, were excavated, showcasing the aesthetic and technical skills of the Stone Age people.
• 🛑 The Stone Age in the Philippines lasted over 50,000 years, ending around 2,000 years ago with the introduction of metals.
• 🔨 The introduction of metals like copper, bronze, iron, and gold marked a significant social and technological shift.
• 🏞️ Dr. Robert Fox, an authority on Philippine prehistory, discusses the long-lasting cultural patterns that persist in some areas.
• 🔍 The search for a Stone Age site in Palawan, an island near Borneo, led to the discovery of Tabon Cave, a significant archaeological site.
• ⚔️ Excavations at Tabon Cave revealed stone tools and burial jars, indicating the site was used for habitation and funeral practices over thousands of years.

Q & A

What period is referred to as the New Stone Age or Neolithic in the Philippines?

The period from about 7,000 years ago to 2,000 years ago is referred to as the New Stone Age or Neolithic in the Philippines.

What significant changes occurred during the Neolithic period in the Philippines?

During the Neolithic period, man sailed into the islands, practiced agriculture, and had vastly improved stone technology.

What is a gouge and what was it likely used for?

A gouge is a type of tool made of stone, believed to have been used to carve boats that man sailed through the islands.

What is the significance of the shell tools found in the Tabon caves?

The shell tools found in the Tabon caves suggest that the man came out of Asia through the Philippines into the Pacific islands.

What material were the bark cloth beaters made from?

The bark cloth beaters were made from the hinge area of the giant clam, which looks like stone but is actually shell.

What type of stone tools were particularly beautiful and made of nephrite?

The most beautiful stone tools recovered in the Philippines are the ground and highly polished adzes made of nephrite, a type of true jade.

How long did the Stone Age last in the Philippines?

The Stone Age in the Philippines lasted for more than 50,000 years and continued until only 2,000 years ago when metals appeared.

What metals marked the end of the Stone Age in the Philippines?

The appearance of copper, bronze, iron, and even gold marked the end of the Stone Age in the Philippines.

Why was the island of Palawan chosen for the search for a Stone Age site?

Palawan was chosen because it almost joins the coastline of Borneo, where remains of Stone Age man had been discovered in the great limestone cave of Niah.

Who are the Tagbanua people and how did they assist in the excavation at Tabon Cave?

The Tagbanua are a minority that has inhabited Palawan for as long as anyone knows. They assisted in the excavation by being skilled in handling local materials like rattan and bamboo, which they still use in their daily lives.

What challenges did the archaeologists face during the excavation at Tabon Cave?

The archaeologists faced challenges due to the floor of the cave being disturbed by the digging of megapodes, which caused confusion in the layers of the floor and made it difficult to determine the stratification.