Areté

Archaeology rarely involves glamorous treasures. It’s more about piecing together the past, like a giant puzzle. Here at Aret\u00e9, a new archaeological laboratory called TRACES ASIA is doing just that. Established in September 2020, it delves into the deep history of humankind and our relationship with the environment. Aret\u00e9’s TRACES ASIA lab aims to make archaeology accessible to both the university and the public. The Philippines may not have monumental ruins like Angkor, but its location is key. It’s a link between East Asia and the islands of Southeast Asia and Near Oceania. This archipelago has been a crucial part of a maritime network for millennia. It served as a gateway for human exploration of the Pacific. This knowledge comes not from grand temples, but from meticulous scientific research. For ten years, research has been conducted at cave sites in Mindoro. These excavations have revealed how the first humans arrived in the Philippines. They also showed how our ancestors adapted to a changing climate and new ecosystem. We now know the first modern humans arrived by boat around 40,000 years ago. They were skilled fishermen and sailors, venturing into the open sea. They caught large fish like sharks and gathered shellfish. On land, they hunted wild boar, deer, tamaraw, rats, and lizards. They crafted tools from stone, bone, and shell. Certain finds, like obsidian tools and adzes made from giant clams, suggest they traded with distant regions. Due to the pandemic, excavations are on hold. So, the focus has shifted to analyzing existing finds at Aret\u00e9. The lab’s microscopes allow researchers to study prehistoric tools. They identify their function by examining wear traces and residues. This reveals the technologies and activities of early humans. We know, for example, that many coastal stone tools were used for making cords and wickerwork. These were then used for fishing nets and traps. Fishing has been important for over 30,000 years, evidenced by shell fishhooks and bone fishing gorges. Now, Aret\u00e9 itself is the focus of a new research project. The recent discovery of the Rhinoceros site in Kalinga highlights the Philippines’ importance in the study of early human settlement. Metro Manila sits on similarly ancient deposits. Fossils of extinct megafauna, like elephants and rhinoceroses, have been unearthed during construction. However, systematic research is lacking. The Loyola Heights Campus, where Aret\u00e9 is located, offers a unique opportunity. Tectonic faults have exposed these ancient volcanic deposits, known as “adobe”. This allows for on-campus archaeological investigations. Little is known about these deposits. Researchers hope to find fossils and human remains. This would deepen our understanding of the area’s earliest inhabitants. It would also shed light on the ancient landscape and environment of what is now Metro Manila.