As the founder of Philippine archaeological, ethnological, and anthropological research, Henry Otley Beyer is remembered for his dedication to the Philippines and to the study of Filipino culture and history. Among his lesser-known interests was Philippine palaeontology, a field then largely unexplored. Drawing on his collected works, correspondence, and materials from the Beyer Collection, this study examines the early foundations of Philippine palaeontology and considers Philippine archaeology from Beyer’s perspective.

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About Dr Pauline Basilia

As one of the few Filipino palaeontologists actively working on Pleistocene material, Pauline Basilia strives to decolonise our understanding of the development of Philippine palaeontology. The discipline's markedly slow progress is partly affected by scattered and incomplete documentation in its early years. Her research aims to reconcile data on early explorations for use in present and future projects.

Pauline gained her Masters in Archaeology degree at the School of Archaeology, University of the Philippines and has been practicing archaeology through teaching and field work. In 2023, she received her doctoral degree from Griffith University, Queensland studying Pleistocene elephants and stegodons from islands. Currently, she is a Research Fellow at Far Eastern University, Manila and an Adjunct Fellow for Griffith University. Her current investigation on Philippine palaeontology is the natural extension of her PhD work in strengthening Philippine palaeontological research.