ROBERT FOX - TABON CAVES
Who is Robert Fox?
A distinguished American anthropologist who made substantive and enduring
contributions to Philippine anthropology through his research, publications, teachings,
and public service.
Robert Fox
BIRTH
Robert Bradford Fox
Born on May 11, 1918 in Galveston, Texas
Died on May 25, 1985 in Baguio
Career
ROBERT FOX
CAREER
Chief anthropologist for the Philippine National Museum
Taught at the University of the Philippines
Presidential Assistant for National Minorities
Presidential Adviser on Anthropology under then President
Ferdinand E. Marcos
Robert Fox
Works
For four years and eight months, Fox conducted field research
among numerous folk and mountain peoples in the Philippines
WORKS
Cave and Open Site Archeology
6 years
Cave and Open Site Archeology
Palawan
Sorsogon
Albay
Batangas
Pampanga
Major Publications
Major Publications
The Pinatubo Negritos : Their Useful Plants and Material Culture
The Philippine Journal of Science (1951)
Religion and Society Among the Tagbanuwa of Palawan Island,
Philippines (1954)
The Tabon Caves : Archaeological Excavations on Palawan
Island, Philippines (1962-65)
Fox and the Tabon Caves
Fox and the Tabon Caves
With colleagues at the National Museum of the Philippines, Fox
excavated the Tabon caves in Palawan
Discovered the late Pleistocene human fossil remains and
associated stone implements
"Tabon Man" - a skull cap, jaw bones, teeth and several other
fragmented bones
Using Radiometric dating: 16500 ± 2000 B.P. for the skull cap
and 48000 ± 11-10000 B.P. for the tibia fragment
TABON CAVES
Brief History
Tabon Cave Complex
Located in Lipuun Point Reservation, a 138-hectare museum
site reservation that lies along the western coastline of Southern
Palawan
Used to be an island, but is now an isthmus connected to
mainland Palawan through an extensive mangrove development
All caves in Lipuun Point Reservation have become collectively
known as Tabon Cave Complex
On April 11, 1972, Presidential Proclamation No. 996 declared
the cave complex and all of Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan a
site museum reservation
Approximately 215 caves in the reservation, 38 of which have
been established to be of archaeological and anthropological
significance
Between 1962 and 1966, an archaeological exploration was
conducted by a team from the National Museum headed by
anthropologist Dr. Robert Fox in the caves of Lipuun Point and
its immediate vicinity
The artifacts recovered belong to different periods ranging from
50,000 years ago to the 14th century A.D.
Artifacts
ARTIFACTS
Tabon Man - one of the oldest known human skeletal remains in
the Philippines dating back to 16,500 years (14,000 B.C.)
Tibia - oldest human fossil so far recovered from the Tabon
Cave that dates back to 47,000 years (45,000 B.C.)
LOCATION
National Museum, Quezon Branch, Tawa-tawa, Quezon,
Palawan, Region IV
It lies northwest of the Poblacion of the municipality of Quezon,
and is bound on its north, east and west parts by bodies of
water.
By sea. Tabon Caves Complex is a 30-minute ride by pump
boat from Quezon proper. Visitors, however, are advised to stop
at the National Museum branch at Poblacion, Quezon for
orientation and briefing
LOCATION
Others
Other Information
The National Museum estimates that only 25 percent of the
archaeological sites have been excavated leaving much of the
area for future archaeological expeditions
On April 11, 1972, Presidential Proclamation No. 996 declared
the cave complex and all of Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan a
site museum reservation
Department of Tourism in collaboration with the National
Museum - Detailed Tourism Development Plan for Tabon Caves
that provides the framework for preserving archaeological and
pre-historic sites and its environmental resources, as well as
developing tourism in the area with the aim of optimizing
economic benefits.
Robert B. Fox, a distinguished American anthropologist who made substantive and
enduring contributions to Philippine anthropology through his research, publications,
teachings, and public service. Born on May 11, 1918 in Galveston, Texas and died
on May 25, 1985 in Baguio. He received his AB (Anthropology) from the University
of Southern California (1941); his MA (Anthropology) from the University of Texas
(1944); and his Ph.D. (Anthropology) from the University of Chicago (1954). His
career led him to be the Chief anthropologist for the Philippine National Museum,
Presidential Assistant for National Minorities, Presidential Adviser on Anthropology
under then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and he even taught at the University of
the Philippines. Some of his major publications were The Pinatubo Negritos : Their
Useful Plants and Material Culture, The Philippine Journal of Science (1951),
Religion and Society Among the Tagbanuwa of Palawan Island, Philippines (1954),
The Tabon Caves : Archaeological Excavations on Palawan Island, Philippines
(1962-65)
