Tabon Man:

Synthesis of the Topic

Comparative Analysis for Primary vs.
Secondary Source -Tabon Man
Primary Source Secondary Source
• Robert B. Fox. The • William Henry Scott,
Tabon Cave: Prehispanic Source
Archaeological Materials for the
Exploration and study of the
Excavation on Philippine History
Palawan Island,
Philippines
 Authors Background
• In author’s • It means you going
background, you are anything the
going write increases or decrease
something about the the credibility as an
author (it can his/her the author
occupation) which
make him reliable or
credible or not.
 Authors Background
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
Profession: Profession:
• Anthropologist • Historian
Role of an Role of a Historian:
Anthropologist: • Specialize in
investigation and
• Specialize in analysis of competing
discovery of human ideas, facts, and
remains and artifacts purported facts
 When was the account written?
• The date of first publication of the said paper
or source (account) which will affect the
reliability of the author especially who comes
first than the other one.
 When was the account written?
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
• 1965 – Philippine • 1968 – University of
Journal of Science Santo Tomas
 Mention of Date(s)
• The date(s) mentioned in the account which
will affect the reliability of the account itself
especially the difference of date of the two
accounts.
 Mention of Date(s)
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
1. June and July 1962 - • 7,000 B.C, 20,000
Initial Excavations of B.C., 28,000 B.C. –
Tabon cave existence of Homo
conducted by the Sapiens
author himself. • 45,000 or 50,000 B.C.
2. 22,000 to 24,000 - Upper
years ago – age of Pleistocene/Dispersal
the Tabon Man. of Homo Sapiens
 Mention of Place(s)
• The place(s) mentioned in the account which
will affect the reliability of the account itself
especially the difference of places of the two
accounts.
 Mention of Place(s)
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
• Palawan Island • West coast of
(Tabon Cave) – place Palawan (Tabon
of excavation Cave) – place where
conducted by the the Tabon man was
author himself. discovered by Fox.
 Sequencing of Events
• These are chronology of the event which will
affect the reliability of the account itself
especially the difference of events of the two
accounts.
 Sequencing of Events
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
1. In June and July 1. Earliest human skull
1962, the scattered remains in the
fossils bones include Philippines are the
the frontal bone fossilized fragments
with the brows and of a skull and
portions of the nasal jawbone of three
bones. individuals.
 Cont’d
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
2. The area in which the 1. Tabon Cave is a kind
human fossils bones
were discovered had of little Stone Age
been disturbed by Factory.
Magapode Birds.
3. The data suggest that
Tabon dated from
22,000 to 24,000
years ago.
 Cont’d
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
4. Exact age of the
human fossils can
be determined
through chemical
analysis.
5. The fossil bones are
those of Homo
sapiens.
 Difference of 2 accounts
The difference in terms of the following:
1. Authors Background;
2. Account Written;
3. Mention of date;
4. Mention of place; and
5. Sequencing of event.
These will affect the reliability of the account itself.
Note: The difference is the simplified statement of
above presentation.
 Difference of 2 accounts
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
1. The author is an 1. The author is a
Anthropologist and
his specialty is in Historian and his in
excavation and investigation and
validating of fossils analyzing facts.
and artifacts. 2. This account was
2. This account was published later than
published earlier than
the other account.
the other account.
 Difference of 2 accounts
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
3. It mentioned that in 3. It did not mention
June and July 1962, that Scott personally
the excavation was conducted the
personally conducted excavation.
by Fox. 4. It mentioned 45,000,
4. It mentioned 22,000 50,000 BC, 28,000
to 24,000 B.C. which B.C, 20,000 B.C &
is different from 7,000 B.C which is
Scott. different from Fox.
 Difference of 2 accounts
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
5. It mentioned 5. It mentioned West
Palawan Island coast of Palawan
(Tabon Cave) as (Tabon Cave) as
place of excavation place of excavation
which also the same which also the same
to Scott. to Fox.
 Difference of 2 accounts
Robert B. Fox William Henry Scott
6. The sequences of 6. The sequences of
the events show the events show
that Fox conducted that Scott did not
conduct the study in
the excavation and Tabon Cave but rely
discovered the to the two experts
Tabon Man. in terms of other
variables.
 Analysis of the Difference
of the 2 accounts
• Among those mentioned difference of the 2
account which more reliable or valid?
• You are going to answer this one using the
principle and procedure of source criticism
 Analysis of the Difference
of the 2 accounts
1. Generally, there two strong and significant
points which make Fox more credible that
Scott but it does mean that Scott is lying –
actually he is just trying to puzzle the facts
from the available data.
 Analysis of the Difference
of the 2 accounts
2. Using the principles of source criticism,
remains are more credible than narratives
which is the situation of both author where
Fox personally lead the excavation and the
discovery of the Tabon Man while Scott rely
on the interview of the different experts
who encounter the said fossils.
 Analysis of the Difference
of the 2 accounts
3. Secondary, their specialization shows that,
generally speaking, also in this case, in the
question of fossils, anthropologist is more
credible than a historian.
4. Since the anthropologist are specialize in
validating fossils which consistent in this
account while Scott is a historian in his way
of validating was done through interview
which less credible that previous one.