Philippine Pre-Colonial Art

EVIDENCE OF EARLY HUMAN HABITATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
The oldest evidence of human habitation in the Philippines is the skull cap of the Tabon Man discovered by Dr. Robert B. Fox on May 28, 1962. Aside from this there are other evidences of early human occupation in the archipelago wherein archaeologists were able to excavate stone tools only. An example of this is the site at Cagayan Valley found between 1950-1970.
Due to the of evidences of human habitation in the country, archaeologists theorized that during latter part of the Ice Age, land bridges in Asia immersed due to the lowering of water levels. As a result the land bridge connecting Palawan and Borneo served as the perfect corridor to the Philippines that ushered human settlements in the country.
MIGRATION OF AUSTRONESIAN
The population formed in the Philippines came from the Australoid during the Paleolithic Age and as the Neolithic Age began Austronesians entered the country coming from Southern China with their balangays.
Austronesians speak the Malayo-Polynesian language. According to Peter Bellwood’s theory in 1985, Austronesians came from Southern China and left to venture into new territories to apply their horticultural and agricultural knowledge. Another factor proposed by Bellwood regarding their migration is the booming population that necessitates the creation of new settlements.
From Southern China, it is believed that the Austronesians went to Taiwan at around 4000 B.C.E. and arrived in the Philippines with their balangays (sea vessel) at around 3000 B.C.E. Their arrival in the country resulted to the intermingling of race that produced the Filipino race and most importantly the enrichment of the pre-colonial Filipino culture.
PHILIPPINE PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD
Filipinos had a civilization of their own even before the Spanish colonization. This civilization came from the settlers in the archipelago and from their response to the changing environment.
Philippine pre-colonial period is both different and the same as the present. Some aspects of the pre-colonial period continues to thrive during the modern times and continues to adapt for its preservation.
PHILIPPINE INDIGENOUS ARTS
There are 4 prominent forms of art in the Philippines during the pre-colonial period namely:
Sculpture/Carving
Pottery
Weaving
Physical Ornaments/ Jewelry
These emanate the rich culture of the Filipinos even before the colonization period. Philippine pre-colonial art reflects nature and the life of the common folk through various media techniques and processes based on the factors of time, climate, resources, ideas and historical and cultural context.
SCULPTURE
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials, typically stone such as marble, metal, glass, or wood, or plastic materials such as clay, textiles, polymers and softer metals. Carving is one of the techniques used in sculpture.
Bul-ul
These are carved Anito figures of the Ifugao. It represents their ancestral spirit and granary gods.
SEATED IFUGAO "BULUL" AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE ANNUAL IFUGAO HARVEST RITUAL "BULULS" PLACED IN RICE GRANARIES ARE CONSIDERED GUARDIANS OF THE HARVEST
Sarimanok
Sarimanok is a figure that represents a fowl with wings, tail, and a head decorated with scrolled and painted motif of leaves, spirals, and feather-like forms. It usually stands on a fish and another one hangs from its beak. The wooden figure, usually perched atop a bamboo pole, stands among decorative flags during weddings and other festive occasions.
POTTERY
Objects that are first shaped of wet clay, then hardened by baking are called pottery. Pottery includes both decorative and practical usage. In the Philippines it varies in forms and functions. Its form is heavily influenced by the function it serves as well as the tradition from where it originated
Manunggul Jar
Used as a secondary burial jar by the people in Palawan from 890-710. The jar was found in Chamber A of the Tabon Cave, one of the Manunggul caves in Palawan. The jar is dated from about 2800 years before the present. It was found by Robert Fox and Miguel Santiago.
WEAVING
Weaving means to make cloth and other objects. Threads or strands of material are passed under and over each other. Weaving in the Philippines has different forms, functions and materials. They also vary in design and techniques used. Most of the common forms of weaving in the Philippines are in the form of hats, mats, bags, baskets and textiles
Malong with Okir Motif
The Maranaos call their ornamental design okir, a general term for both the scroll and the geometric form.
PHYSICAL ORNAMENTS
BONTOC, IFUAGO, AND KALINGA TRIBAL TEXTILES WITH A VARIETY OF SILVER AND BRASS "LINGLINGO" FERTILITY CHARMS
BONTOC WARRIOR'S RITUAL "BOAYA" HEAD HUNTING NECKLACE: SHELL, BOAR TUSK, RATTAN, FIBERAND BONE
Physical ornamentation can be categorized to three areas specifically the use of traditional costumes (textile), jewelries and tattoos. The designs vary depending on the location, users and function of the ornaments.
Filipino Jewelry
One of the main products of Philippines is jewelry. Many artifacts gathered from the excavation sites in different locations in the country include the diverse amounts of jewels, which supports how Filipinos love jewels since the pre-Spanish era. Since the country is rich in valuable minerals and gems, a lot of mining sites have been set-up in different parts of the country. At present, jewels have a large impact on the country’s economy and the Filipinos’ love for them is reflected by their usage of jewels in their everyday life.
Ancient Jewelry
Filipino’s use of jewels as decors dates back from pre-colonial era1. With the arrival of the Spaniards, they witnessed how gold was flourishing in the Philippines that every Datu and member of the maharlikas are adorned with golds and jewels - from their clothes to their bracelets, eearrings, and necklaces. In De Morga’s words: “the natives proceed more slowly in this ,and content themselves with what they already possess in jewels and gold ingots handed down from antiquity and inherited from their ancestors. This is considerable, for he must be poor and wretched who has no gold chains, calombigas, and earrings"2. During this time, amulets and talismans, or anting-anting in Tagalog, were also used as a jewelry and protection3.
As the Spaniards colonize the Philippines, more effective methods of mining were innovated and used, thus exposing more rare stones and gold. On account of Pigaffeta, one of the Spanish conquerors: “On the island where the king came to the ship, pieces of gold as large as walnuts or eggs are to be found, by sifting the earth. All the dishes of the king are of gold, and his whole house is very well set up.”
The Spaniards wanted to utilize the jewels so much that golds were incorporated in basic furniture. Pigafetta goes on to describe the huge gold ornaments, gold dagger handles, tooth plating and even gold that was used to decorate the outside of houses!
Filipinos learned a lot about techniques on utilization of jewels and mixing them with other materials. They became so skilled at mixing that they were describe as:
"...they possess great skill in mixing it with other metals. They give it an outside appearance so natural and perfect, and so fine a ring, that unless it is melted they can deceive all men, even the best of silversmiths."
Other jewelries during the Spanish times includes carnelian, agate and other precious stones; but Filipinos in ancient Colonial period (even today) takes pride of their coveted pearl industry.
The Filipinos also made metal implements like the sumpak of carabao horn and silver as a complement to their jewelries.2
Contemporary Jewelry
Jewelries remain one of the things that is adored by Filipinos. In Contemporary times of Philippines, many controversies that includes jewels happened in the country, one of which is the Remouloites collection controversy, or more popularly known as Imelda Marcos’ stolen jewels.
The controversy started when former President Ferdinand Marcos fled from Philippines on February 25, 1986 with his wife Imelda Marcos into United States. Eleven days later, after the Marcos’ departure from Manila, on March 9, 1986 a certain Mr. Demetriou Roumeliotes (hence the name of the collection) a Greek national, boarding a flight to Hong Kong was detained by Philippines Customs officials. They were following up an anonymous tip, and said passenger was found to be carrying 60 pieces of expensive jewelry which was addressed to Imelda Marcos. These were confiscated and taken to the Central Bank of the Philippines for safekeeping and itemization. Appraisers from Christie’s, were brought in to evaluate the 60 pieces of jewelry. There are two other collections of jewelry; some were actually removed from the Marcos’ private chambers when they fled Malacañang Palace in 1986, some were removed from the plane carrying them into Honolulu.4
Even up to this day, the controversy about the jewels has not been yet fully solved. However, the government felt that documents found left behind at Malacañang were the real treasures.
Filipino Bawisak earrings
Traditional Ifugao tribe (Northern Luzon, Philippines) bead and shell bawisak earrings. The bottom shell designs have been described as either representing butterflies or a certain item of male generative anatomy.
IFUGAO: WARRIOR'S SILVER "LINGLINGO" EARRING PAIR AND PENDANTS
Traditional Filipino Tattoo
The Philippine Tribal Costumes The B'laan are one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao in The Philippines. They are famous for their brassworks, beadwork and t'nalak weave. The people of these tribes wear colorful embroidered native costumes and beadwork accessories.
Kalinga
The Kalinga are called the “peacocks of the north” because of their attention to appearance and dressing. Kalinga is a landlocked province of northern Cordillera, Philippines. “Kalinga” means enemy, a name that the bordering inhabitants called this tribe because of their headhunting attacks. The name stuck and became accepted by the natives themselves.
T'boli
The T'boli distinguish themselves from other Tribal Groups by their colorful clothes, bracelets and earrings, this tribe is famous for their complicated beadwork, wonderful woven fabrics and beautiful brass ornaments.
Bagobo
The Bagobo are proud people with proto Malayan features. They have ornate traditions in weaponry and other metal arts. They are noted for their skill in producing brass articles through the ancient lost- wax process. These people also weave abacca cloths of earth tones and make baskets that are trimmed with beads, fibers and horse's hair.
6 Sining Biswal: An Essay on Philippine Visual Arts

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