The excavation of Spanish-period stone houses in the Batangas province of Philippines concluded this year, and an exhibition will be displayed at the University of the Philippines-Diliman next month. You can read the San Juan Archaeological Project blog here.
Spanish-era stone houses see the light of day once more
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 21 August 2011
To conclude its three-year archaeological excavation of Spanish-era stone house ruins in San Juan, Batangas, the University of the Philippines-Diliman Archaeological Studies Program (UP-ASP) conducted a rigorous archaeological excavation of the second of two Spanish-era stone house ruins located in Barangay Pinagbayanan in San Juan, Batangas.
From the name “Pinagbayanan,†which means “where the former town once stood,†Barangay Pinagbayanan was the former town proper of San Juan, Batangas in 1848, when San Juan was first recognized as a separate municipality in Batangas.
Full story from the Philippine Inquirer.
It’s always interesting to me when entire cities were abandoned due to a natural disaster, such as the flooding where this town was. It definitely makes sense – why build it back up if you’ll have to do it again later? – and makes me wish we could still do that today for areas prone to many natural disasters.