BALOBOK ROCKSHELTER

As #CelebrateTheSeaMonth draws to a close this June, this week’s #TrowelTuesday features the Balobok Rockshelter, a prehistoric archaeological site by the sea.

Located in the southeast part of Tawi-Tawi Province, in a cove facing the Sulu Sea at Sanga-Sanga, the Balobok Rockshelter yielded early evidence of human presence in Mindanao as a result of extensive archaeological excavations undertaken by the #NationalMuseumPH. The site is a prehistoric habitation site from 6810–3190 Before Common Era or BCE (8760–5140 years ago), as evidenced by a shell midden that yielded a considerable amount of animal remains in all three of its cultural layers.

The Balobok Rockshelter was accidentally discovered in 1963 by Mr. Assiong Bangali of Tubig Basag Primary School while fishing near the shore. He saw the rockshelter as he took refuge during a sudden downpour. In 1966, Mr. Eric Casino of the #NationalMuseumPH reported the existence of the rockshelter when he visited it during his fieldwork in Cagayan de Sulu Island. His report described the rockshelter as an archaeological site with shell and stone adzes, flaked tools, earthenware sherds, and shell remains. Later that year, a team of archaeologists led by Mr. Casino conducted an initial excavation of the site. This was succeeded with a partial excavation in 1969 by American anthropologist Alexander Spoehr, and a re-excavation in 1992 and 2007 by the #NationalMuseumPH.

Excavated artifacts included polished shell adzes made from the giant clam Tridacna gigas, flake and polished stone tools, red slipped earthenware sherds with lime impressed designs, and animal remains like shells which delivered the site’s radiocarbon dates. These archaeological materials are significant evidence indicating that the Balobok Rockshelter is one of the earliest habitation sites in the region. Their recovery suggests that the site may have played a significant role in the movements of people into the Southwest Pacific and to the Pacific World. 

In 2008, the Site Development of the Balobok Rockshelter was realized through assistance from the United States Ambassador in the Philippines’ Heritage Conservation Fund. This project was implemented by the #NationalMuseumPH, the Local Government of Bongao, the Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi, with the active participation of the Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi Campus.

The #NationalMuseumPH declared the Balobok Rockshelter as an Important Cultural Property (ICP) by virtue of Museum Declaration No. 24-2016 on December 16, 2016.

Text by Giovanni Bautista, and poster by Timothy James Vitales | NMP ArchaeologyDivision

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