via SciEnggJ, 31 March 2024: Recent archaeological, ceramic, and genetic studies have shed light on a previously unrecognized Austronesian kingdom in the Southeastern Philippines, named the Kalaga Putuan Crescent, that thrived for over 13 centuries. This kingdom supposedly played a pivotal role in the development of Austronesian maritime technology and was a central hub in the Central Maritime Triangle trade network, connecting the Spice Islands, China, India, the Middle East, and Europe, but the paper is highly disputed among Philippine archaeologists. It is notable that none of the authors of the paper have a background in archaeology.
Using a novel combination of archeological and textual evidence, ceramic analysis and recent genetic studies, we propose the existence of a lost Austronesian Kingdom, the Kalaga Putuan Crescent (KPC) in the Southeastern Philippine Archipelago, a kingdom which apparently existed as a coherent Austronesian cultural and political entity for over 13 centuries. Recent evidence suggests that the KPC was an early site of innovation in the development of Austronesian maritime technology, leading to the emergence of the Central Maritime Triangle (comprising the KPC, Champa and Srivijaya), a trade network that was central to the exchange of goods between the Spice Islands, China, India, the Middle East and Europe. At its cultural and political height, the previously unrecognized KPC was a sophisticated and influential center of Austronesian culture and maritime trade.
Source: 2024-71
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