QUEZON CITY, Philippines (June 5) — New research spanning 15 years suggests the Philippine islands were at the heart of an advanced maritime culture in Southeast Asia as far back as 35,000 years ago, challenging previous understandings of ancient human migration and technology. The groundbreaking findings highlight the archipelago’s pivotal role in early seafaring, technological innovation, and long-distance connections.
The study, led by scientists from Ateneo de Manila University in collaboration with international experts, uncovered compelling evidence from the Mindoro Archaeology Project. This evidence indicates that early inhabitants of Mindoro and surrounding Philippine islands possessed sophisticated seafaring capabilities, allowing them to navigate deep waters and establish relationships with distant populations across the vast Wallacea region.
According to a press release obtained by our editors, key findings include some of the oldest traces of modern humans in the Philippine archipelago, specifically on Ilin Island, San Jose, and Sta. Teresa in Occidental Mindoro. Unlike Palawan, Mindoro was never linked to mainland Southeast Asia by land bridges or ice sheets, meaning ancient populations had to cross the sea to reach it. This necessity likely drove the development of advanced maritime technologies.
Researchers found a variety of artifacts, including human remains, animal bones, shells, and tools made from stone, bone, and shell. These discoveries show Mindoro’s early inhabitants expertly used both land and sea resources. More than 30,000 years ago, they were already skilled fishers, capable of catching open-sea predators like bonito and shark.
A notable innovation was the use of shells as raw material for tools, starting over 30,000 years ago. This evolved into the creation of adzes from giant clam shells, dating back 7,000 to 9,000 years. These tools share striking similarities with shell adzes found throughout Island Southeast Asia, extending over 3,000 kilometers to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
On Ilin Island, archaeologists also found a human grave from around 5,000 years ago. The body was placed in a fetal position, bedded and covered with limestone slabs. This burial method mirrors other flexed burials seen across Southeast Asia, hinting at shared beliefs and growing social complexity over a wide geographical area.
Collectively, the discoveries from Mindoro’s archaeological sites suggest a culturally sophisticated population that adapted well to coastal and marine environments. This evidence points to an extensive maritime network during the Stone Age that fostered cultural and technological exchange among early human groups across Island Southeast Asia for thousands of years.
The Mindoro Archaeology Project’s work not only fills significant gaps in the Philippines’ prehistoric record but also redefines the region’s importance in the broader story of human migration and adaptation in Island Southeast Asia.
The latest publication detailing these findings was co-authored by Dr. Alfred F. Pawlik, Dr. Riczar B. Fuentes, and Dr. Tanya Uldin from Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Collaborators include Dr. Marie Grace Pamela G. Faylona from the University of the Philippines-Diliman Department of Anthropology, De La Salle University Department of Sociology and Behavioral Sciences, and Philippine Normal University College of Advanced Studies, along with Trishia Gayle R. Palconit, a PhD student at the University of Ferrara, Italy.
