A discovery almost lost in time: Kalinga's archeological treasure

 BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

(Hereunder is an article by the Philippine Information Agency for this column this week):

RIZAL, Kalinga -- A plain, open grassland in a remote provincial town. Who would have thought that a rolling pasture land in this town would keep a collection of records that tell a story of the past?

In recent years, the small area in Sitio Greenhills, Barangay San Pedro in Rizal made international headlines with a big discovery that can rewrite history.

Before all the media attention started in 2014, the site has already been a subject of archeological research and studies since 1935.

"The first discovery was in 1935. Then series of excavations were conducted but there were only some years that they have successful finds," said former Rizal Mayor Marcelo de la Cruz, Jr.

Scientists have already unearthed a rhino lower jaw in 1935 and an elephant fossil and tusk in 1971 and 2001. The latter finds earned the area the nickname ‘The Elephant Hill.’

Because of these series of discoveries, then President Ferdinand Marcos declared the site as an archeological reservation through Presidential Decree No. 1109 on March 28, 1977.

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Although it has been years since experts started to excavate and uncover fossils in the area, it was only in 2014 that they found a critical link to better understand the history of the Philippines and the world.

"Our archeological site came into the limelight in 2014 when they discovered a 75% rhino fossil (Rhinoceros Philippinensis) intact," said Maila Depalog who is the designated Municipal Tourism Officer.

The almost-complete rhino fossil was found to have cut marks which are signs of butchering. In the same layer point that the rhino fossil was discovered, stone tools were also present. 

In an article of T.Ingicco, et, al. published in the science journal Nature in 2018, the rhino fossils from Rizal were described to have "percussion marks presumably made with the intention to smash the bones and gain access to the marrow."

Aside from the rhino, fossils of animals like the elephant, turtle, deer, and lizard were also uncovered. This set of evidence which are dated 709 thousand years ago indicates the possibility earlier existence of "pre-modern hominins" in the country.

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Rizal's fossils did not only open realizations for the scientific community but also created various opportunities for the locals.

The municipality looks into archeo-tourism as one of the possibilities to improve livelihhod opportunities for the local community while protecting the archeological area.

"In the economic aspect, there will be a time when visitors will come to see the site and who will be there to entertain them if not the locals," said Depalog.

Still in the process of developing and promoting the archeological area and the idea of archeo-tourism, the site has already accommodated visits from national and regional offices and schools.

"They can capitalize on that positioning that it is an archeological site. The story about it is good. Can you imagine that they found a breakthrough in terms of finding the origin of humans," explained Department of Tourism Cordillera OIC Jovi Ganongan.

Ganongan recommends that since the area is still under study, the municipality can come up with educational activities about the findings to promote the rhino fossil story and the archeological reservation.

"They can have a museum tour, for instance. They can put up a marker for the excavation sites. It is about the story behind that digging," she added.

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While Sitio Greenhills has long been an area of archeological study under the care of the National Museum, residents were alarmed when the diggings resumed in 2014.

"At first the residents, especially here in Barangay San Pedro, were against the excavations because of suspicions of treasure hunting," said Depalog.

After several information, education, and communication campaigns the locals started to understand the purpose of the project. The team of archeologists also hired some of the residents to help in the excavations. This also helped remove the uncertainties the community had for the study.

"My experience as working with the team of scientist is that it is only the bones that they get. After the digging, they always return the soil back," shared Jose Batungkig, the caretaker of the Elephant Hill site who is also a local in the place.

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 "They did not stop the farmers to work in their fields but the problem is that archeological reservation has no clear delineation of boundaries," said Batungkig.

The municipality has already forwarded a request for the delineation of the archeological reservation to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A clear definition of the boundaries of the archeological area will strengthen the protection of the site by preventing the expansion of agricultural activities and building of permanent structures.

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More than 80 years passed since the first discovery was made in The Elephant Hills, the local government unit and the community in Rizal, Kalinga continue to find ways to promote and preserve this part of history.

“For me, I will protect the site because it will be for the improvement of Rizal, especially Barangay San Pedro. Maybe we, the elders, will die but our children will reap the benefits of this project in the future,” said Batungkig. (JDP/JJPM-PIA CAR)