The Yawning Jarlet of Leta-Leta Cave

This jarlet, declared a National Cultural Treasure, is the earliest pot recovered in the country. It
has a distinct rim that resembles a shouting or yawning person, hence the name. Discovered by Dr. Robert
Fox in Leta-Leta Cave, northern Palawan in 1965, this jarlet is associated to the Late Neolithic period
(approximately 1000 to 1500 BC). It was excavated in a burial site where a stone adze, as well as other
intact pieces of pottery–including a stem cup and a footed jarlet, both of which are also declared national
cultural treasures–, were recovered.

The Callao Man

In 2007, a group of archaeologists led by Dr. Armand Mijares of U.P. Diliman discovered a foot
bone in Callao Cave in the town of Peña Blanca, Cagayan. The said skeletal remain–specifically the third
metatarsal of the foot–is said to be “the earliest human fossil found in the Asia-Pacific region. The Callao
Man, according to experts, possibly reached the island of Luzon from Indonesia by raft, which suggests
that our ancestors already possessed “knowledge of sea craft-making in this early period.” However,
other experts believe that the Callao Man is probably just a species closely related to humans and was a
product of an evolutionary process called “human speciation.”

The Laguna Copper Plate Inscription

 Accidentally discovered in 1986 near the mouth of Lumbang River, the Laguna Copper Plate
Inscription or LCI is the earliest historical document in the country and also the only pre-Spanish
document discovered so far. Now a National Cultural Treasure, the LCI measures 7 x 12 inches when
unrolled. According to Postma’s interpretation, the document was written on the fourth day of the waning
moon of the month of Waisakha in the Shaka year 822 (April 21, 900 CE by the Western calendar). It
stated that the debt of gold amounting to one kati and eight swarna (equivalent to 865 grams) owned
by Namwaran was canceled and the document given to his daughter, Angkatan.

The Flying Elephant of Lena Shoal

Another National Cultural Treasure, this blue-and-white dish with flying elephant design is one
of only two pieces ever recovered in the world. It was retrieved from the Lena Shoal wreck site in
Palawan in 1997 through an underwater exploration project initiated by the Far Eastern Foundation for
Nautical Archaeology (FEFNA) and the National Museum. Made during the Middle Ming Dynasty (ca.
1500), the porcelain dish was recovered from the wreck site of a Chinese trading vessel. It features black
and brown specks in the paste as well as lotus scroll with pointed leaves on the rim.
 The Manunggul Jar

The Manunggul jar was only one of several stunning artifacts discovered in Chamber A,
Manunggul Cave in Lipuun Point, Palawan by a group of archaeologists who investigated the site from
1962 to 1965. In addition to burial jars, they also recovered human remains covered in red paint and
adorned with bracelets made of jade, shells, and stone beads. Measuring 66.5 x 51.5 cms, the
Manungggul jar is actually a secondary burial jar used to store the bones of someone who was previously
buried. The lid features a “spirit boat” or “ship of the dead” carrying two souls on a journey to the
afterlife.