First Directly Dated Rock Art in Southeast Asia and the Archaeological Implications

Authors

Andrea Jalandoni, Griffith University - Australia
Marie Grace Pamela G. Faylona, Philippine Normal University
Aila Shaine Sambo, University of the Philippines Diliman
Mark D. Willis, Flinders University
Caroline Marie Q. Lising, Ateneo de Manila UniversityFollow
Maria Kottermair, Griffith University - Australia
Xandriane E. Loriega, University of the Philippines Diliman
Paul S. C. Taçon, Griffith University - Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-30-2021

Abstract

This paper integrates the first rock art directly dated with radiocarbon (¹⁴C) in Southeast Asia with the archaeological activity in the area and with stylistically similar rock art in the region. Peñablanca is a hotspot of archaeological research that includes the oldest dates for human remains in the Philippines. The caves in Peñablanca with known rock art were revisited and only 37.6% of the original recorded figures were found; the others are likely lost to agents of deterioration. A sample was collected from an anthropomorph and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dated to 3570–3460 cal BP. The date corresponds to archaeological activity in the area and provides a more holistic view of the people inhabiting the Peñablanca caves at that time. A systematic review was used to find similar black anthropomorph motifs in Southeast Asia to identify potential connections across the region and provide a possible chronological association.

Recommended Citation

Jalandoni, A., Faylona, M. G. P. G., Sambo, A. S., Willis, M. D., Lising, C. M. Q., Kottermair, M., Loriega, X. E., & Taçon, P. S. C. (2021). First directly dated rock art in Southeast Asia and the archaeological implications. Radiocarbon, 63(3), 925–933. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2021.29