Fascinating Archaeological Find in Makira
An intriguing discovery was made last week at the Pamua Rural Training Centre (RTC) in Makira Province.
Students showing the bones and artifacts
During a practical session on house foundation profiling, carpentry students accidentally unearthed what seems to be human remains and a few traditional artifacts.
The bones were found just below the surface, right in front of a staff house, possibly indicating a mass grave site or something similar.
Peter Usumae, the Principal of Pamua RTC School, revealed that according to oral traditions, the current location of the vocational school used to be an old village called Manihuki. This adds historical significance to the discovery.
“Another possibility arises that the remains could belong to the lost galleon, ‘Santa Isabel,’ which was part of Mendana’s fleet but got separated.
“Archaeologists had previously identified the Pamua RTC site as the place where the crew and members of the ship landed and disembarked,” Mr. Usumae said.
Lawrence Kiko, the Deputy Director of the Solomon Islands National Museum, expressed his interest in this remarkable find.
He suggested that DNA testing might be necessary to determine the identity of the remains.
This discovery opens a door to further exploration and understanding of the rich history and heritage of the islands.
More reports on this will be forthcoming.
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By Alex Dadamu