Archaeologists from the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) and the National Museum have unearthed evidence of human activity in Pilanduk Cave dating back 20,000 to 25,000 years, signifying a revelation from the last Ice Age.
The UP System confirmed this revelation on Thursday, February 29, following years of meticulous research and re-excavation of Pilanduk Cave.
This find marks a crucial contribution to understanding human behavior during the glacial and interglacial events of the Ice Age.
The latest study presents archaeological data for the Philippines’ Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), showcasing the oldest fossil remains of “nine vertebrate species” in Pilanduk, including the iconic tiger, “Panthera tigris”—the largest living cat species.
“The authors present new data from the re-excavation of Pilanduk Cave on Palawan Island, Philippines. The results corroborate the results of earlier excavations that identified Pleistocene occupation of the site. Pilanduk shows evidence for specialized deer hunting and freshwater mollusc consumption during the Last Glacial Maximum. The results add to the evidence for the shifting foraging behaviours of modern humans occupying variable tropical environments across Island Southeast Asia,” UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs said in a statement.
The Pilanduk Cave stands out as the sole repository of a “substantive subsistence record” for the LGM throughout the entire Philippine archipelago, according to UP. This emphasizes its crucial role in understanding ancient human survival strategies in the region.
“Pilanduk Cave also provides the only substantive subsistence record known for the LGM for the entire Philippine archipelago. We also synthesize the Palawan subsistence record to provide a picture of changing modern human adaptations from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene amidst extensive palaeoenvironmental changes,” UP OVPAA added.
Led by UPD Archaeologist Janine Ochoa, in collaboration with Ame Garong of the National Museum and Palawan community members, the research not only verified information disclosed in the 1970s but also added new dimensions to the understanding of ancient human behavior.
According to the researchers, the findings contribute to the broader understanding of the shifting foraging behaviors of modern humans across variable tropical environments in Island Southeast Asia, showcasing the adaptive strategies employed during the challenging conditions of the Ice Age.
