HERITAGE | Great archaeological discovery of Phil Iron Age artifacts in San Remegio gets international attention

Photo from http://archaeosanremigio.blogspot.com/

Cebu's prehistory is getting its much-needed material evidence when a team of archaeologists led by Prof. Jojo Bersales of the University of San Carlos unearthed artifacts that could be traced back to centuries before the Spanish colonization of the island and probably even before the island's trade with the Chinese and other Asian neighbors.

Lately, the find has drawn the attention of an international mix of researchers and academics from the world over.

Here's a reposting of a news item from USC's website.

Joint USC-UoG-UPD Archaeo Field School Begins in San Remigio

Twenty-six students and five archaeology professors began a three-week intensive fieldwork in the town of San Remigio last Saturday, following a courtesy call with Fr. Pres. Dionisio Miranda, SVD.

Led by Dr. Stephen Acabado and Dr. John Peterson of the University of Guam (UoG), Prof. Jojo R. Bersales of the USC Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Dr. Grace Barreto-Tesoro of the the University of the Philippines-Diliman, the group is part of a joint field school conducted by USC in collaboration with UoG and UPD. The contingent is composed of American, Canadian, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese archaeologists, Henry Luce Fellows from the University of Hawaii, as well as Filipinos. The event is also supported by the Cebu Provincial Tourism and Heritage Council, which sponsored a two-day tour of the city and province for the visitors, free of charge. The group met up with Bersales who is currently winding up the excavations in Boljoon in order to join the group later this week.

It may be recalled that Prof. Bersales conducted a separate field school for archaeology and anthropology students of SoAn in March and April this year, which successfully discovered what may be the oldest archaeological site in Cebu today, comprising six burials with artifacts clearly indicative of the Philippine Iron Age (ca. 500 BC to AD 900). The joint excavation is a continuation of that fieldwork and is the first joint excavation between USC and UoG.

An exhibition of the significant finds made there during the March-April field school will be opened at the San Remigio Cultural Center this coming Saturday. The exhibit is jointly sponsored by SoAn, USC Museum and the National Museum of the Philippines. Dr. Ame Garong, who led the NM team during that excavation will be attending together with Malou Samson, USC Museum curator and Prof. Bersales as well as a host of other dignitaries including possibly NM Director Jeremy Barns.