Advanced LiDAR surveys in the mountainous Cordillera region of the Philippines have identified a massive, previously hidden circular plaza associated with the Ifugao culture. Excavations at the site have yielded fragments of large bronze drums and ritualistic animal bone carvings. Archaeologists suggest this plaza was the primary site for ancient rain-calling festivals, where rhythmic drumming was used to petition the mountain spirits for a bountiful rice harvest.
The scale of the plaza indicates that it could accommodate thousands of people, suggesting a level of social organization much higher than previously documented for this period. Cultural heritage experts note that many of the rituals likely performed here bear a striking resemblance to the 'Punnuk' tug-of-war rituals still practiced by modern Ifugao communities, providing a rare direct link between prehistoric ritual sites and living indigenous traditions.