Archaeology in the

Philippines
Archaeology in the
Philippines
PARTDES

Prof. Rondell C. Gascon, MAURP

School of Design and Arts
DLS- CSB
 Archaeology defined:
► Archaeology is a means of studying the human past.
► It is no longer just about excavations.
► Archaeology has become multi-disciplinary involving
sciences such as geology, botany, zoology, climatology,
volcanology, cartography, geography, ecology, soil
sciences, and in some instances, including environmental
concerns.
► Archaeology has become a multi-sectoral endeavor as well.
► Sites are not limited to specific areas but must necessarily
involve entire communities where the projected fieldwork
is to take place.
 The Beginnings of Philippine
Archaeology

► The discovery of
TABON cave in
Palawan
► Site of an
important
Philippine
Archaeological
discovery: The
TABON MAN
 The Tabon Cave
► The Tabon cave
complex is located on
Lipuun Point, Quezon,
Palawan .
► It is a 138-hectares,
of rugged cliffs and
deep slopes.
Discovered by an
American, the late Dr.
Robert B. Fox and his
team of Archaeologist
from the National
Museum in 1962.
 The Tabon Cave
► The discovery of the caves
have yielded an important
Archaeological find - Fossil
human bones (called the
“Tabon Man”) tentatively
dated from 22,000 to 24,000
years ago.
► Excavations were done from
1962 to 1970. Of the 200
caves found in Lipuun Point
only 29 caves were fully
explored, including Tabon
Cave, which were found to
been used for habitation and
/ or burial sites by ancient
people.
National treasure: Manunggul Jar
► The Manunggul Jar was
recovered at Chamber A of
Manunggul Cave in Palawan. 
► It is an elaborately designed
burial jar with anthropomorphic
figures on top of the cover that
represent souls sailing to the
afterworld in a death boat. 
► The figure on the rear is holding
a steering paddle with both
hands;  the blade of the paddle
is missing. 
National treasure: Manunggul Jar
Carved like a head with eyes,
nose, and mouth. 

The execution of the ears,

eyes, and nose has
similarities with the
contemporary woodcarvings
of Taiwan, the Philippines,
and many areas in
Southeast Asia. 

It is dated to as early as 710 -

890 B.C. 
Maitum Anthropomorphic Burial Jars 
► Maitum
Anthropomorphic
Potteries   The
anthropomorphic
secondary burial jars
from Pinol, Maitum,
Saranggani Province in
Mindanao date back to
the Metal Age. 
►
Maitum Anthropomorphic Burial Jars
► These burial jars are made of earthenware
designed and formed like human figures
with complete facial characteristics. 
► These were associated with metal
implements; glass beads and bracelets;
shell spoon, scoop, bracelets and pendants;
earthenware potteries with incised designs
and cut-out foot-rings;
 Indigenous Peoples
► include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on
account of their populations, which inhabited the
country at the time of conquest or colonization,
► or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions
and cultures,
► or the establishment of present state boundaries, who
retain some or all of their social, economic, cultural
and political institutions,
► but who may have been displaced outside from their
traditional domains or who have resettled outside
their ancestral domain.

The IPs comprise of:

► •         Those who have not lost patrimony over their
lands
•         Those who have been displaced from their
traditional domains
Indigenous Peoples’
Rights Act of 1997
(IPRA)
Case Study: The Ifugao
Ethnolinguistic Group
Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR)
Case Study: The Ifugao
Ethnolinguistic Group
 The Batad Rice terraces in Ifugao:
The concept of land

“In Banaue (or in Ifugao) land represents life, life is

equated to land, without the Terraces, Ifugao is nothing.”
The Ifugao Rice Culture
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Woodcarving in Ifugao
 Ifugao Mountain House:
A prototype of Bahay Kubo
The interior and roofing of Ifugao
house
 The “HUDHUD”
► The “hudhud” is recited
and chanted among the
Ifugao people during the
sowing and harvesting of
rice, funeral wakes and
other rituals.
► Estimated to have
originated before the 7th
century, the “hudhud” -
comprised of some 40
episodes - often take three
or four days to recite.
► The language of the chants, almost impossible to
transcribe, is full of repetitions, synonyms,
figurative terms and metaphors.
► Performed in a leader/chorus style, the reciter -
often an elderly woman - occupies a key position
in society.
► There is only one tune, common to the entire
region, for all of the verses. Very few written
examples of “hudhud” exist.
The “Bulol”: Rice God
Ifugao as farmers and hunters
Ifugao marriage ceremony
 Most Ifugao warriors wore the “neck-ladder” tattoo
(ardan) which signified the movement of a neophyte
warrior to another level.
 Tattooing culture of Ifugao
► his movement maintained the warrior class of the
polity, and was believed to be the life-force of the
community.
► By wearing the centipede (ginayaman) on the
chest, the Ifugao warrior took on a new identity:
claws and a poisonous bite were characteristics
that symbolically fortified the wearer.
► Ifugao elders also recount that centipedes were
believed to be powerful spiritual guides that
sometimes led headhunters on their quest for
human trophies.
 Northern Luzon Ethnolinguistic
ARTIFACTS

► SACRED HUMAN
REMAINS RITUALLY
WRAPPED IN
AN IFUGAO TRIBAL TEXTILE
► BONTOC SILVER
"LINGLINGO" FERTILITY
CHARM (A STYLIZED
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
ORGAN)
► IFUGAO "PUNAM-HAN"
SACRIFICIAL OFFERTORY
BOX  WITH CARVINGS OF
SEATED FIGURES ON
THE HANDLES
► IFUGAO "PUNAM-HAN"
SACRIFICIAL OFFERTORY BOX
WITH STYLIZED CARVINGS
OF BOAR'S HEADS AS HANDLES
► IFUGAO "PUNAM-HAN"
SACRIFICIAL OFFERTORY
BOX THAT FEATURES A
WOVEN RATTAN AND
BONE HANDLE
► BONTOC WARRIOR'S
RITUAL "BOAYA" HEAD
HUNTING NECKLACE:
SHELL, BOAR TUSK,
RATTAN, FIBER
AND BONE
► KALINGA’S "PINAGAS"
HEAD HUNTING AXE
► IFUGAO "REVENGE"
BASKET CONTAINS ALL
THE BROKEN REMAINS
FROM A COMPLETE HUMAN
SKULL OF A HEAD HUNTED
VENDETTA VICTIM
► IFUGAO CEREMONIAL
WOODEN BOWL FROM THE
VILLAGE: "CAMBULO"
► IFUGAO
CEREMONIAL
SPOON
► An envelope bag
from the Bontoc
Culture (an older piece
typical in the Northern
Philippines) and a
runner from the
Ifugao Culture of
Ifugao Province
The Concept of Land use in Ifugao
THE INDIGENOUS LAND USE SYSTEM
NOTE: LAND USE CONCEPTS DIFFER AMONG IFUGAO TRIBES

COMMUNAL FOREST
PRIVATE
Concept:
FOREST-”MUYONG”
•Land Cover
RICE TERRACES
Concept:
Indigenous regulation:
VILLAGE
•Concept:
Land Use - Production
•Very limited human activity
Concept:
•Land Use regulation:
- Production
Indigenous
•No Entry Zone
•Indigenous
•Land Use - regulation:
Settlement
Assisted Rejuvenation
Indigenous
••Selective regulation:
Synchronized Planting
Harvesting
••Contained
Annual development
“greenbelt” -
“tinawon”Maintenance
“Agidayan” & “dolyah”
•Specific production use
•Contains development
 THE INDIGENOUS CONSERVATION ZONING SYSTEM
CORE “natural” VALUE
– forest cover

BUFFER “cultural &

natural” VALUE–
minimizes human
activity on forest cover

CORE “cultural” VALUE

– terrace agriculture &
engineering

HUMAN SETTLEMENT
BUFFER “cultural” VALUE
-defines settlement zone
 LAND ETHNO- POLITICAL UNIT DISTINCT
ELEVATION LINGUISTIC (MUNICIPALITY CHARACTERISTICS/
GROUP ) SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Kalanguya Tinoc Passive, Reserved,
Hanglulu Asipulo Communal

Tuwali Kiangan Old settlers, Social

Hungduan hierarchy

Hingyon Combative

Lagawe Settlers

Banaue Segmented communal

more than
settlers
500 meters
above sea Ayangan Mayoyao Highly communal,
level Aguinaldo Cohesive, Nomadic
 ADAPTING INDIGENOUS CONCEPTS IN
NATIONAL POLICIES
BUT THE LAND COVER CONCEPT IS
THE SAME IN EVERY TRIBE

AND THE LINE IS MAINTAINED BY GENERATIONS OF

FAMILIES

IN THE IFUGAO WATERSHED,

THE LAND USES DIFFER
AMONG THE DIFFERENT
TRIBES

• AS A POLICY, THE LINE BETWEEN LAND USE

(PRODUCTION AREAS i.e. medical use) AND THE NATURAL
LAND COVER MUST BE DEFINED AND MAINTAINED
 Current Issues: IFUGAO
► Urbanization (structures/ buildings
endangering the rice terraces)
► Lost of interest among the new generation
of Ifugao (more of them left their lands or
sold it so they can study in Manila or urban
area)
► Environmental problems
► Politics
 Exercise no. 1
► 1. Using your oslo paper or short bond,
CREATE a TATTOO pattern for the Ifugao
Ethnoliguistic group.
► 2. The design should well-represent the
culture of the IFUGAO and their traditions.
► 3. Use pen or pencils only. Provide a short
explanation of your tattoo pattern