This chapter discusses the origins of the human race. It is the authors' contention that whatever theories, artifacts, and fossils have been discovered elsewhere have important bearings and significance to Philippine history.
One of the branches of anthropology, i.e., physical anthropology, is basically concerned with the study of human evolution, specifically the origins of man. As a matter of fact, the distinctive and unique characteristic of anthropology, that is, looking at a person as both a physical and a social being, is derived from the physical anthropologists' concerns. The anthropologists' interest in a holistic perspective is therefore consistent in the study of the origins of mankind.
Not only physical anthropologists are directly concerned and interested in the origin of man; archeologists are involved as well. In fact, the common source of data for their study, more specifically that of Philippine prehistory, is the archeological finds in the last century. The fossils and artifacts discovered and excavated in archeological sites have contributed much to the reconstruction of our past. It used to be that simple, but now it is no longer so. Anthropology has now become more sophisticated. In place of lone fossil hunters, teams of specialists now pool their skills to create a more precise and detailed picture of early life (Life 1975:118). In many of the researches concerning the origin of man, stratigraphers, geologists, potassium argon experts, botanists, paleontologists, taxonomists, anatomists, and bio-mechanic experts are employed in order to look at the finds in a more holistic manner and also to prove their authenticity and reliability. In effect, F. Clark Howell of the University of California at Berkeley has been responsible for the introduction of this multidisciplinary approach.
Before 1926, there were only two important archeologica researches done in the Philippines. In 1 1881. Alfred Marche, a F undertook the first archeological work in Marinduque, and then in othe sites in Central Philippines, Most of his collections were surface finds and are now with t the Musee de l'Homme in Paris. Some have found t to Madrid (Jocano, 1975:6). Frenchma their way
The research was followed by that of Carl Guthe of the University between 1922 and 1925. His work was c considered to be of Michigan betuan that of Marche, Guthe ether places in were in the reconstruction Pages Bohol, Northern Mindanao, and other Chines in Central Philippines. His primary concern was to "collect exported to the Philippines from China that would aid int of Philippine-Chinese relationship" (Jocano, 1975:7), Apart from this, of locally made earthenware and other artifacts. The collections of Guthe are now at the museum of the University of Michigan
The collections are not locally accessible, therefore, for the wor of reconstructing Philippine prehistory. In fact, one of the laments of many of reconstructing Phing on the reinterpretation of Philippine history is that more materials, mostly primary sources, can be found in the United States of America and in Spain than in the Philippines. It was easy for the artifacs to be brought out of the country because we did not have any policy or regulations governing the disposition of such valuable objects.
From 1926 to the outbreak of World War II, Otley H. Beyer contributed much towards initiating and developing interest in archeological excavations in the Philippines. In fact, it can be said that early Philippine prehistoric research was largely built upon his work (Jocano, 1975:8),
After the war, there were other archeological excavations in the Philippines, but none can perhaps surpass that one conducted by the National Museum in the Tabon and other Palawan caves. The Tabon caves are located on the isolated southwest coast of Palawan Island (Fox, 1970:1). The Tabon cave discoveries are considered dramatic and important, because through the Carbon 14 dating technique, they revealed the presence of people in the area between 22,000 and 30,000 years ago. During the initial excavations in June and July, 1962, the scatered fossil bones of at least three individuals were dug up, including a large fragment of a frontal bone with the brows and portions of the nasal hones. The fossil bones are those of Homo sapiens (Jocano. 1975:40). There were also fossilized bones of small animals.
