NEW ARTIFACT SITE FOUND IN PINOL, SARANGANI
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 10 Apr 2008
MAITUM, Sarangani (April 10, Special to PhilBoxing.com) ? An operator of a bulldozer on Saturday accidentally tumbled upon what possibly could be a repository of ancient skeletal remains that may date back to pre-historic times, a report from the local government of Maitum town in Sarangani revealed.
Earthen jars and broken bones were recovered from the site, located in the village of Pinol, some seven kilometers away from the Maitum town hall in Sarangani province.
Sarangani is approximately 1,200 kilometers south of Manila.
Maitum town mayor Elsie Perrett immediately ordered the site sealed off to prevent looting and contamination of the area.
She also requested experts from the National Museum to inspect the site and conduct a study of the historical significance of the find.
Sarangani governor Miguel Rene Dominguez said he is excited about the new find.
Top photo: A jar approximately 16 inches in height with its head already broken, was among the significant discovery in the new artifact site.
The cave in Pinol, Sarangani Province, where the artifacts have been found.
"I have given orders to secure the area. We do not want to have a repeat of Pinol cave where vandals and looters desecrated the area," Dominguez said in an interview.
This time, he added, the local government will make sure the new find will be preserved and protected.
"These finds, if proven to be pre-historic, will be our legacy to the Filipino people," he added.
In 1991, similar artifacts were found less than a kilometer away from where bulldozer operator Eriberto Ayson accidentally scraped a portion of a quarry hill less than a kilometer from the highway.
National Museum director Dr. Eusebio Dizon said recovered artifacts from Pinol cave in 1991 could date back as far as 2,000 years ago.
Looting however left the Pinol cave in utter disarray and neglect.
But experts from the National Museum were able to recover substantial number of ancient items, some of them still intact. These are now deposited in the museum.
In a report by Carolyn Arguillas in 2002, the "Maitum Jars," as they are referred to now, were described by Dizon as "unparalleled in Southeast Asia" in that it is an exceptional archaeological assemblage.
"The nearly 2000-year old anthropomorphic jars of Maitum, bearing radiocarbon dates of '1930 plus or minus 50 BP (calibrated date of 5 BC to AD 225) and 1830 plus or minus 60 BP (calibrated date of AD 70 to 370),' are unique in that 'they are like portraits of distinct individuals, of specific dead persons whose remains they guard,' Dizon and Santiago said in their book, "Faces from Maitum," Arguillas was quoted in her report.
The new site, which appeared to be a cave, has three chambers but soil formation inside is loose and the danger of a cave-in is a possibility, according to accounts of those who managed to enter the cave before it was ordered sealed off.
Lingling Jabel, who owns the land adjacent to the hill, was able to recover a jar with a shape of a human head. The head was however already broken and its bottom already missing.
Also found were broken sections of what appeared to be a human skeleton. A large broken clay jar was also shown to reporters Wednesday morning. A bowl with intricate design at its base was likewise among those recovered from the site.
Mayor Perrett said all artifacts found in the site should be declared national treasures and told residents in the area that these would be subjected to carbon dating to establish their age.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE RING 6: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI OPEN WORKOUTS COMPLETE AS UNDISPUTED KING INOUE GETS READY FOR PICASSO CLASH IN RIYADH
Thu, 25 Dec 20253-Time, 2-Division World Champion & IBF No. 1, Mandatory Bantamweight World Title Challenger Miyo Yoshida long overdue for her 8th World title fight
Thu, 25 Dec 2025Game On! 1st Paower Pickleball Cup Ignites Action in San Fernando
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 25 Dec 2025Late Replacement Tellez Ready to Shock the World Against Amanda Serrano for WBA & WBO Featherweight Titles on January 3 in Puerto Rico
Wed, 24 Dec 2025The Pryce is right again!
Wed, 24 Dec 2025Postal Stamp Honoring Muhammad Ali will be present in January 15
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 24 Dec 2025O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SIGNS LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH MATCHROOM BOXING
Wed, 24 Dec 2025Isabela Chess University Wins Region 2 Chess League Title
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 24 Dec 2025Cristobal stops Beltran in the 6th round
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 23 Dec 2025VENUE/DATE CHANGE: Shinard Bunch Takes on John Paul Magalong on THURSDAY, JANUARY 15TH AT THE WAR MEMORIAL IN TRENTON
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Raquinel suffers 2nd setback in SA
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 23 Dec 2025Oakland Municipal Auditorium: Sacred Hall Where Filipino Boxing World Champions Were Crowned
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 23 Dec 2025IBA confirms Men’s World Boxing Championships results
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Jordan Launches Pro Boxing Scene Appointing Amer Abdallah as Advisor
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Fisher and Atencio Crowned Jax Mixed Doubles Open Champions
Sun, 21 Dec 2025