Kalinga LGU pushes archaeological site preservation By Gigi Gacuya RIZAL, Kalinga -- Mayor Marcelo dela Cruz Jr. and the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of the this municipality is seeking the assistance of concerned government agencies to promote, protect and develop the historical Elephant Hill a known archaeological research site since its discovery in 1935 along with some areas in Cagayan Valley. “To pinpoint the exact location of the fossils and delineate the archaeological area, we are seeking for the help of the DENR, NCCA, National Museum, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the DOT and other concerned agencies to assist us in this endeavor,” he said. A letter he said was also forwarded to the Department of Tourism Regional Office to help the LGU formulate its Tourism Development Plan in line with the declaration of the Elephant Hill as part of the tourism sites covered under Republic Act 10561 which declares Kalinga as Tourism Development Area. According to the mayor, the area known today as Sitio Greenhills of San Pedro, Rizal Kalinga along with some parts of Cagayan Valley are protected based on Presidential Decree No. 1109, issued on March 28, 1977 by then President Ferdinand Marcos declaring the delineated excavation sites of the National Museum areas as “archaeological reservations”. In a recent excavation research done from June 8 to July 7, 2014, archaeologists and paleontologists from the National Museum, University of the Philippines Diliman Archaeological Studies Program, Naturalis, University of Athens, and University of Wollongong, Australia discovered one of the most interesting finds in the area which is a set of bones belonging to an ancient animal, they estimated to be around 800,000 years and about the size of a present day water buffalo. University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Archaeological Studies Program (ASP) Associate Professor Dr. Thomas Ingicco said that despite the recent discovery, the researchers are still looking for answers if ancient people or hominines had been in the area. These he said could not yet be confirmed unless an actual hominine fossil is found as concrete evidence albeit the presence of ancient cutting tools that were found in the vicinity. The discovered fossils he said will be brought to the National Museum for further studies to validate the type of specie and age. Based on the UP ASP survey report conducted from November 16 and November 23, 2013, a reassessment and continuous exploration of the archaeological areas of Kalinga and Cagayan are important to answer “the true association of the fossils, stone tools and the tectites, that if established would characterize the oldest human and vertebrate faunal people the Philippine. Based on the researchers account, except for the latest findings from the June to July 2014 excavation, a total of 28 vertebrae remains, 23 stone tools, 17 tectites and 12 silicified woods were already collected in the area. It also states that “nevertheless, much more were recorded.” Based on said findings they confirmed the presence of a small size proboscideans stegodon and elephant based on the bones in anatomical connection from the Angel Bautista and John de Vos excavation at the so-called Espinosa Tusk Site during the 2001 second National Museum Excavation.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:29:08 +0000
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