Ricardo C.

Alindayu II (2014-49379) Arkiyoloji 1 X5

Summary 2: Lithic Flake Tools from Rabel Cave, Peablanca, Cagayan

Wilfredo P. Ronquillo explored the limestone formation area at Peablanca, Cagayan Province
to find Paleolithic sites. From their exploration they discovered 78 caves and rock shelters, with 43 of
them containing archaeological materials on the floor surface such as extraneous lithic materials,
earthenware sherds, small animal bones and teeth, and river shells. Presence of these artifacts on the
surface is precisely why they decided to investigate the caves further. Rabel Cave was one of the larger
caves in the limestone formation and was chosen as one of the main archaeological sites for Ronquillo
and his team. They excavated 13 2 x 2 meter trenches using random sampling. Some problems
encountered for the dig included large limestone boulders blocking the way (making it difficult for all
trenches to be equal in size) and there was no clear distinction in the soil for stratigraphic analyses.
The lithic materials recovered in the site included utilized flakes, waste flakes, chips, primary
cores, cobble tools and hammerstones. In Rabel Cave, 3366 of these tools were recovered in the
excavation in situ, with 1512 of them subjected to individual measurements and analyses.
The tools were aged to be around 25000 to 3500 BP. The materials used for the tools were
andesite and chert, with andesite being the more used material because of its ubiquity in the nearby
Pinacanauan River floodplain as opposed to chert. The method used to analyze these tools includes
low power magnification to infer the use of the stone tools. From the data collected, Ronquillo
concluded that the artifacts were made by direct percussion flaking because of the presence of
hammerstones with some markings found through magnification as evidence for its usage. The lithic
tools themselves were hypothesized to either be for butchering activities and woodworking. The
former was proposed because of the presence of faunal remains alongside the tools, while the latter
was proposed due to the convex edges of some other lithic tools suitable for woodworking. In general,
the lithic tools in Rabel Cave were said to be generalized maintenance tools.
Once again every claim had proof for this excavation. On the other hand, I realized how
archaeologically significant the town of Peablanca is because of its many formerly inhabited caves. I
feel that there is still so much to learn about our ancestors who lived in these caves. Hopefully (or
rather, I am quite sure) ASP or the National Museum would release more information about the caves
former inhabitants and their artifacts as soon as they are studied.
References:
1. Ronquillo, Wilfredo P. The technological and functional analyses of lithic flake tools from Rabel Cave,
northern Luzon, Philippines. Manila: National Museum, 1981.
2. Mijares, Armand Salvador B. The Peablanca Flake Tools: An Unchanging Technology?
Hukay 12 (2007): pp. 13-24.
Chert Flake Tools in Rabel Cave Andesite Flake Tools in Rabel Cave