This Cave in El Nido, Palawan, Is Believed to be the Oldest Burial Site Ever Found in the Philippines

Many burial places and spaces for the dead existed in diverse caves, sites, coasts, or even land locations during the olden Philippine era. These are what Filipinos distinguish now as the oldest cemeteries.

El Nido, Ille Cave, Palawan, has provided the oldest known evidence of deliberate burials in the Philippines.

The finding of this oldest burial site discovered in El Nido, Palawan, casts insight into the burial customs of earlier societies in the locale. The said oldest cemetery or burial site is found within the cave and rock shelter locale of Ille Cave in El Nido, Palawan, where evidence of cremation burials dated 9,000 years ago was found, according to the National Museum of the Philippines.

These people proved to live hundreds of years ago, and this is the most valuable information about the rituals and religion they believed in. This excavated burial space gives a fantastic insight into how the old men lived and practiced various customs.

This burial place in Palawan further illustrates that the early Filipinos already had sophisticated skills and proficiency in traditional crafts. They show they could produce earthenware and other tools by utilizing the natural materials around them. It illustrates the inventiveness and artistry of the early Filipinos.

The discovery of the oldest burial site in Palawan also contradicts some of the earlier hypotheses on the degree of cultural advancement of the contemporary Filipino population in ancient times. It shows that early Philippine society had been formed long before its emergence in the present day. This has led to a fresh look at the history and culture of the Filipinos as well as their significant contributions towards the weft of Southeast Asian culture.

It should be noted that apart from magnificent nature landscapes, Palawan has also been famous for many centuries as of ancient times because of its monuments and cultural traditions of ancient Filipinos. The discovery of the oldest cemetery in the Philippines, down the beguiling caves of Palawan, offers priceless knowledge about the antique funeral rites and ideologies of the earliest Filipinos. The study and preservation of this significant archaeological site will give insights into the deep understanding and respect for the Filipinos' cultural heritage and varied traditions way back those times, dated more than a hundred years ago.

Some early archaeologists discovered other material remains, including items considered offerings at the burial place. Some of these items were pottery, jewelry, and tools. These objects suggest a belief in the old Filipino tradition that there is life after death and an effort to give the departed something materialistic for their journey. More so, such developments reveal the sophisticated beliefs the ancient civilizations harbored.

Ille Cave in Palawan bears some archaeological significance, a place that once witnessed inhabitation 12,000 years ago. Excavations revealed evidence of pottery and animal bones as old as 8,000 years; evidence also included cremation. However, no one has displayed those artifacts, but they have set some boards to let you know about the cave, including its history.

This discovery of the Philippines' oldest cemetery and burial site is much more than an archaeological issue. It gives a chance to reconnect, the traditional lifestyle people should know about and appreciate, and to look into the ancient past of the Palawan province and the stories formed under the caves. Filipinos can ponder the continuance and strength of humanity that has existed over time and generations.

This is why the National Museum of the Philippines lives up to its advocacy this November during the Undas in the Philippines, featuring mortuary topics about Philippine archaeology. The National Museum of the Philippines features artifacts and remains and background stories of these ancient burial spaces and places to better understand the past cultures of the olden Filipinos.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine to learn more about unique and exciting places in Palawan!