Ateneo Breakthroughs

Ancient Technologies, Forgotten Navigators: 
Early Human Migration and Seafaring in the Philippine Archipelago

Dr Alfred F Pawlik, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Thursday, 27 March 2026, 2:00 pm

Technologically sophisticated navigators once lived and travelled across the Philippine archipelago many thousands of years before Magellan, Jung He, and even the Austronesians. Far older than any known written record, their story is whispered in echoes of ancient crossings—over straits, island chains, and open seas once thought impassable to humans. 

This lecture explores the archaeology of ancient human migration and maritime interaction in the archipelago, tracing how early hominins reached Luzon hundreds of thousands of years ago and how anatomically modern humans later moved through Palawan, Mindoro, and the wider Wallacean world. Drawing from fossil, artefactual, and radiometric evidence, it examines how these early peoples adapted to demanding coastal and island environments, developed sophisticated hunting, fishing, and seafaring practices, and forged connections across vast stretches of ocean. Bringing together archaeology, experimental reconstruction, and exciting new technologies such as robotic excavation and machine learning, this lecture opens a vivid window onto the forgotten past of the Philippine islands—a rich story of lost worlds, vanished peoples, and daring maritime journeys that underscore the archipelago's crucial role in the greater story of humanity.

Alfred F Pawlik, Dr rer nat, is a professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Ateneo de Manila University. He researches on the archaeology of Southeast Asia, the anthropology of hunter-gatherers and forager/farmer interaction and past human behaviour. Dr Pawlik is also the Research Coordinator of Ateneo's Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences and the Director of the Anthropological and Sociology Institute of Ateneo.

📆 27 March 2026, Thursday
⏰ 2:00 - 4:00 PM
📍 Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights Campus, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City