Philippines had advanced maritime culture 35,000 years ago — study

Groundbreaking archaeological research has found that the Philippine archipelago played a pivotal role in ancient maritime Southeast Asia as early as 35,000 years ago, with strong evidence pointing to advanced technology, seafaring, and intercultural exchange.

- JEL SANTOS

In a recently published study, researchers from the Ateneo de Manila Univer-sity, in collaboration with international scholars, pre-sented findings from the Mindoro Archaeology Proj-ect that documented early human presence and inno-vation in Occidental Min-doro, particularly in Ilin Island, San Jose, and Sta. Teresa, Magsaysay.

Per researchers, Min-doro, unlike Palawan, was never connected to main-land Southeast Asia by land bridges or ice sheets, meaning the sea crossings were always necessary to reach the island, a condition that likely drove the development of sophisticated maritime technologies.

The team uncovered archaeological evidence including human remains, animal bones, and tools made from stone, bone, and shell.

Such finds suggest that people inhabiting Mindoro more than 30,000 years ago were not only skilled in survival techniques but had already developed seafaring abilities.