After Backfill

The first San Remigio Archaeological Fieldwork Project and the 2011 USC-NM Archaeological Field School officially ended today with the departure for Manila of the National Museum team led by Dr. Ame Garong.

Last Sunday, we left the site, with two vehicles courtesy of Gov. Gwendolyn F. Garcia and the Cebu Provincial Tourism and Heritage Council, our partner in this project.

All the excavation units have been backfilled and all that is left of the largest unit with the six burials are the tents generously provided to us by the Municipal Government of San Remigio, which also defrayed the cost of accommodations of the team, courtesy of Mayor Jay Olivar. Our thanks to the governor, the mayor and to Fr. Fritz Malinao as well as Fr. Tata, his assistant, and also to Archbishop Jose Palma and Msgr. Carlito Pono of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church. Kudos to the people of San Remigio. We hope to return soon.

No more excavations. The soil is back where it belongs.

Finishing Touches

Accessioning was finally completed yesterday and the packing of artifacts and bones into crates began. Photography of almost all the important and significant finds, whether as sherds, fish and other animal bones or as associated potteries and metal implements, was also carried out yesterday and today. This was proceeding while our local laborers began the inventory of tools and equipment we used during the excavations (mainly mason trowels, picks, pails, stools, paintbrushes, whisk brooms and dustpans.

A six-page preliminary report on the highlights of the project has also been sent to Mayor Jay Olivar and a similar report also submitted to Fr. Fritz Malinao.

Tonight we will be making a public presentation at the void deck below our quarters, the San Remigio Cultural Center. Tomorrow we return to the city and deposite everything at the National Museum Branch located in Museo Sugbo.

Tools of the trade: our equipment. (Look, Ma, no detector!)

Photographing of artifacts.

The Metal in Metal Age

Among the artifacts we recovered that were associated with two of the six burials were metal implements or tools. These, and the earthenware, are what make us suspect that the site is of the Iron or Metal Age in the Philippines, which runs between 1,000 B.C. to A.D. 900.

Metal implements retrieved from Burial 3, the burial with the incised red-slipped carinated pottery.

A small "guna" or weeding tool retrieved very near the right pelvic region of Burial 4.

Samples

To aid us in the analysis of our finds, charcoal and soil samples have been collected for laboratory processing in the United States, if plans and funds permit. These samples were carefully collected to avoid as little possible contamination as possible.

The soil and charcoal samples are even accessioned and carry their own particular database numbers.

Back-Fill Time

The back-filling of the final excavation units where all six burials, 11 earthenware potteries and 5 iron tools were uncovered finally began today and will continue tomorrow. This was going on as students from the local TESDA training school began cleaning the church grounds and the streets to be used for the processions that will mark the Holy Week, which starts on Sunday, the day we leave San Remigio.

The back-fill, one of the most important "rituals" in archaeology, where all excavation units are covered over with plastic garbage bags. Coins as well as other time markers (like plastic wrappers) are then thrown over the plastic in order to indicate that the site has already been excavated. Then the original soil that was removed during the excavation process is returned to the unit.

Three Monsignors and a Hope

Our excavation project was honored by the visit last April 12 of three monsignori from the Archdiocese of Cebu, namely: Msgrs. Rudy Villanueva, Joseph Tan, and Arthur Navales, Fr. Allan Delima as well as Dr. Hope Yu of Cebuano Studies Center. Fr. Frttz Malinao and Fr. Tata were, unfortunately, not in San Remigio at that time since they were in the city to attend the annual renewal and retreat for parish priests and their assistant pastors.

Msgr. Shongho Tan shares a joke with Jojo Bersales

Dr. Hope Yu and Msgr. Rudy Villanueva just outside the excavation unit.

Fr. Allan Delima and Msgr. Arthur Navales. At the background is our preliminary report printed on tarp.

All the archbishop's men: Msgrs. Tan, Villanueva, Navales and Delima with Jojo Bersales outside the convent near the excavation site. Note the brewed coffee, newsppaers and the gift of wine from Dr. Yu (the photographer).

Kabilin on the San Rem Finds

The Sugbo TV Channel 14 crew of Jojo Bersales' show, Kabilin, visited the site to do an episode explaining the significance of what we have uncovered and how it related to other Iron Age or Metal Age sites in the Philippines.

Jojo R. Bersales starting the show.

Dr. Ame Garong of NM explains the significance of the Iron or Metal Age in the Philippines.

Joe Santiago of NM explains the mapping of the site. No detectors needed.

Retrieval Operations

We are now just three days away from our departure and while accessioning of artifacts continues, the retrieval of the burials was carried out today. This is required because the bones, though fragmented due to the soil matrix, need to be studied further in the lab.

The Excavation Site on Google

Thanks to a follower who posted this google map on our other forum, we can now show you  roughly where 10 the excavation units are located (in orange). The largest square is the area where the six burials and associated materials were recovered.

The excavation units (in orange).

Accessioning Time

Now that we are through with three weeks of excavations, the team now proceeds to accessioning and cataloguing the thousands of ceramic sherds, shells, bones and other artifacts and ecofacts that we have recovered from our 10 excavation units.

Our quarters, the San Remigio Cultural Center, with each beckoning white sand beach and crystal clear waters, now serves as our field lab.

Dr. Ame Garong heading the accessioning of the artifacts.

Trisa Valmoria and Arianne Lopez writing accession codes on each shell.

Joe G. Santiago continues to piece together the jigsaw puzzling carinated pot while Melvin and Neil Lambujon watch.

The hall way at the second floor of the center, our quarters, now begins to look like a field lab.

One crate is nearly full of accessioned artifacts, mainly earthenware sherds.

Jojo Bersales, project leader, prepares the preliminary report to be submitted to Fr. Fritz Malinao and Mayor Jay Oliver, while suffering from a painful boil on his right leg.

Occlusal Variation: Some Q&A

Three of the 6 burials recovered during this excavation show signs of occlusal variation or what is commonly referred to as malocclusion. One of these, Burial 2, has more than one variation. The questions to ask would be: Does this run in families? Are the burials related then? What are the causes of occlusal variation?


To the first and last question: probably but the most accepted reason among anthropologists is that occlusal variation is a result of a soft diet that results in lesser power exertion when chewing or lesser chewing intervals during meals. There is, in fact, an increase in the incidence of occlusal variation among relatively modern humans, compared to those of the Stone Age, because of processed foods. So, what was the diet then of these individuals? Probably, they had little hard meat to chew on, just tender or young wild pigs and plenty of fish of all kinds.

To the second question, are these burials related? Not necessarily since they all had the same sources of food which contributed to the occlusal variation.

Burial 2 with the highest occurrence of occlusal variation.

Burial 3, with a maloccluding mandibular canine.

Burial 6 with disalignment of teeth, also an occlusal variation.

 Apropos to our earlier post on the possible filing of teeth, it appears now that the flattened teeth of Burial 6 may be a result of prolonged use, thus indicating an advanced age of probably 60 or more.

The SanRem Archaeo Team

A pose for posterity to mark the end of the excavations and the start of accessioning and cataloguing.

A pose with our students and the National Museum team of Dr. Ame Garong, Jose G. Santiago and Dante Posadas.

The field school faculty: Dr. Ame Garong, Prof. Jojo Bersales (standing left to right). Dante Posadas and Joses G. Santiago (sitting, left to right).

Conservation Work Time

As we prepare for a long week of accessioning and cataloguing our finds, it is time to do some restoration work on our pots. Here are some of them and how they are being pieced together---or should we say, held together for now.

Pottery #1, still with its contents.

Pottery #2, now ensconced in plastic beside the Melon shell scoop.

Pottery #3 being put together painstakingly.

 

The Teeth Tell Their Story

Did Cebuanos file their teeth in a different way during the Iron or Metal Age (500 BCE-900CE) compared to the Contact Period (900 CE-1565 CE)?

This is what we will try to look into because it appears that two of our six burials, Burial 3 and Burial 6, show signs of filing through the removal of the crowns of their canines and incisors. This is quite different from the Contact Period practice we observed in Boljoon and in Plaza Independencia, for example, where the fronts of the teeth, not their crowns were filed from incisors to pre-molars.

Incisors and canines of Burial 3 showing the possible filing of their crowns.

Incisors, canines and pre-molars of Burial 6 showing possible filing of their crowns to make them look even.

Behold Burial 6 and its 3 Pots

Today we began exposing the small carinated pot with cord patterns on its body. By 10 a.m., it was clear that the pot was not alone but was part of a cluster of three. It was also clear that these pots were part of the burial assemblage of Burial 6, our latest and probably the last one we will expose as time is running our for us. It was also clear that not one but two of the three pots were carinated.

Dr. Ame Garong of National Museum cleaning the pots.

A closer look at the pots, one of which is still intact despite the sandy soil matrix.

Burial 6 with the three pots. The cranium of this burial has moved perhaps due to taphonomic circumstances. It now faces south while its body is extended and in an East-to-West orientation.

The Great Skeleton Test

Part of archaeological training is for the students to be able to identify the basic parts of the human skeletal system. A test was conducted today just for this purpose, live on site, using the burials we have uncovered so far.

Ian Rios and Arianne Lopez on Burial 2

Valmoria and Mark Tan on Burial 1

Kwak, Dessa and Arianne on Burial 3.

Yoyong, Mark, Valmoria, Mark and Rey on Burial 2 and 4.

The Burial Orientations

Two burial orientations have been observed in the lone excavation unit of 4x6 meters where we have uncovered as of now, 5 burials in various states of preservation.


Burials 1, 2, and 3 were in an East-West orientation, head at East, feet at West, as if to travel towards the sea (on the western side of this unit).

Burial 3 in the East-to-West orientation.

Alas, Burials 4 and 5 are in the opposite direction. What makes it all the more intriguing is that Burial 4 almost touches the cranium or skull of Burial 2. Moreover, Burial 5, that of a child of perhaps not more than 4 or 5 years old, appears to have been buried simultaneously with Burial 4, whose left femoral section abuts but does not disturb the position of Burial 5.

Burials 1, 2, 4, and 5.

Burials 1 and 4, with skulls nearly touching each other and oriented in opposite directions.

Burial 5, a very young inhumation, was probably buried simultaneously with Burial 4. Note the small pot on the right femur of Burial 4. A small iron tool, not visible in this photo, was also worn on the right hip region of Burial 4. Burials 5 has no cultural materials associated with it so far.

We thought that was the last pot

Well, we all thought we would not find any more interesting and important stuff as our excavation unit, only 4 x 6 meters square now appears crowded with 5 burials and six pots.

Today a seventh one appeared at the North wall of unit S10E3, another beautiful carinated pot with cord-like pattern on the body. This has forced us to open tomorrow the adjacent unit to retrieve this important find.

The small carinated pot with cord design on the body, still abutting the North wall of S10E3.

The Pot to Die For!

This is it. The best pot that Cebu has ever seen in its archaeological history. Pot #5, as we call it, is one of two pots associated with Burial 3. It is an extremely important and significant find. It is carinated and carries an incised design that is very reminiscent of pottery associated with the Maitum (Cotabato) anthropomorphic potteries.

Congratulations to San Remigio! This is one for the books in Philippine Metal (or Iron) Age History!

Pots 5 and 6 near the feet of Burial #3.

Pot 5 the carinated pot. Note the tree root jutting out.

Closeup of Pot 5 showing a section of its carination and its incised decoration on the body.

Pots and more pots

Today we uneaerthed two more earthenware pottery, one of which we suspect to be a jar burial because its mouth is much larger in proportion to its body especially when compared with the other earthenware pottery we have recovered so far.

The suspected jar burial is at left.

Not associated with any burial, these two earthenware pots are shown in relation to Burial 3 (skull at right)