| Abstract: |
Introduction: Arku Cave is a large limestone cave located in the municipality of Penablanca, Cagayan Province, in northern Luzon, Philippines (Figure 1). The cave is in the western foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. This area is part of the Callao limestone formation, which stretches in a long narrow belt along this part of the western edge of the mountains (Wasson and Cochrane 1979). Arku Cave is in the central part of this formation. There are many archaeological sites in this region. From November 1976 to February 1977 researchers from the National Museum of the Philippines conducted an archaeological survey of approximately 35 km<sup>2</sup> in the area surrounding Arku Cave. Seventy-one caves and seven rockshelters were located, 43 of which have archaeological remains. These are primarily habitation sites. Twenty-one open sites, lithic workshops, and habitation sites were also found (Ronquillo and Santiago 1977). Arku Cave was used as a burial cave from approximately 2200 to 50 B.C. Bones of approximately 57 people were excavated from a variety of types of secondary burials. Grave goods included pottery and various ornaments and tools such as earrings, beads, bracelets, adzes, spindle whorls, and bone points.
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