Readings in Philippine History
3
“Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected
Primary Sources in the Philippine History:
“The Manunggul Jar”
MR. DICKSHYL M. KALLOS
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Readings in Philippine History
“The Manunggul Jar”
Identify the parts of the Manunggul jar
Interpret the significance and symbolisms of the design of
the jar
Relate the design of the jar with the cultural practices of
the early civilization
Illustrate the significance of the discovery of the jar to the
history of the Philippines
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Readings in Philippine History
This module critically analyzes
Philippine history from multiple
perspectives through the lens of
selected primary sources. Priority
will be given to primary sources that
describe the important turning points
in Philippine history from prehistoric
times up to the contemporary period
and articulate various perspectives.
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Readings in Philippine History
The approach, though historical, will
deal with interdisciplinary subjects
so as to broaden and deepen the
student’s understanding of Philippine
political, economic, social and
cultural history and equip the learner
with the competencies necessary to
analyze and evaluate different types
of information: print, visual and
audio-visual, and quantitative.
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Readings in Philippine History
The end goal is to develop the
historical and critical consciousness
of the students so that they will
become versatile, broad-minded,
morally upright and responsible
citizens.
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Readings in Philippine History
What is the significance of this
map in our history?
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Readings in Philippine History
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Manunggul Jar
The Manunggul Jar is a secondary burial
jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in
Manunggul cave of Tabon Caves at Lipuun
Point at Palawan dating from 890–710 B.C.
The two prominent figures at the top handle
of its cover represent the journey of the
soul to the afterlife. The Manunggul Jar is
widely acknowledged to be one of the finest
Philippine pre-colonial artworks ever
produced and is a considered a
masterpiece.
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Readings in Philippine History
It is denoted a national treasure and it is
designated as item 64-MO-74 by the
National Museum of the Philippines. It is
now housed at the Museum of the Filipino
People and is one of the most popular
exhibits there. It is made from clay with
some sand soil.
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Readings in Philippine History
The cultural treasure found in the early
1960’s in Manunggul Cave, Lipuun Point,
Palawan is a secondary burial jar. The
upper portion of the jar, as well as the
cover is incised with curvilinear scroll
designs and painted with natural iron or
hematite. On top of the jar cover or lid is a
boat with two human figures representing
two souls on a voyage to the afterlife. The
boatman is seated behind a figure whose
hands are crossed on the chest. The
position of the hands is a traditional
Filipino practice observed when arranging
the corpse.
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Readings in Philippine History
The burial jar which is unrivaled in
Southeast Asia and considered as the
work of a master potter, signifies the
belief of early Filipinos in life after death.
It is dated to the late Neolithic Period,
about 890-710 B.C.
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Readings in Philippine History
The Manunggul Jar was found by Dr.
Robert B. Fox and Miguel Antonio in
1962. It was found alongside the
discovery of the remains of Tabon Man. It
was recovered by Dr. Fox in Chamber A
of Manunggul Cave in Southwestern
Palawan. Manunggul Cave is one of the
Tabon Caves in Lipuun Point.
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Readings in Philippine History
In the expansion, the Tabon Caves is
known to be a site of jar burials with
artefacts dating a range from 4250-2000
BP. Chamber A dates as a Late Neolithic
burial site (890-710 BC). Seventy-eight
jars and earthenwares, including the
Manunggul Jar, was discovered on the
subsurface and surface of Chamber A.
Each artifact varied in design and form
but was evidently types of funerary
pottery.
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Readings in Philippine History
First Excavation and Response to
Discovery
As mentioned earlier, the first ever
excavation that gave way to the discovery
of this burial jar is on the year 1964 by Dr.
Robert Fox. During that time, he and his
team were excavating the Tabon Cave
Complex, specifically in the Lipuun Point.
In Fox’s excavation, it is yet the most
unusual in all angles. The inside of the jar
contains human bones which are covered
in red paint. Like the Egyptian burial
practice, the jar was also found to be
equipped with numerous bracelets.
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Readings in Philippine History
“... is perhaps unrivaled in Southeast Asia,
the work of an artist and a master potter.”
— These words were said by Robert Fox
when asked as to how he would describe
the jar’s origin, based from its appearance.
Design of the Jar
The fine lines and complex design of the
Manunggul Jar reflect the artistry of the
early Filipinos.
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Readings in Philippine History
The Manunggul Jar shows that the
Filipinos' maritime culture is paramount
that it reflected its ancestors' religious
beliefs. Many epics around the Philippines
would tell how souls go to the next life,
aboard boats, pass through the rivers and
seas. This belief is connected with the
Austronesian belief of the anito. The fine
lines and intricate designs of the
Manunggul Jar reflect the artistry of early
Filipinos. These designs are proof of the
Filipinos' common heritage from the
Austronesian-speaking ancestors despite
the diversity of the cultures of the Filipinos.
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Readings in Philippine History
The upper part of the Manunggul jar, as
well as the cover, is carved with curvilinear
scroll designs which are painted with
hematite. The depiction of sea-waves on
the lid places this Manunggul jar in the Sa
Huỳnh culture pottery tradition. These are
people that migrated in an East to West
migration from the Borneo-Palawan area
to Southern Vietnam. Early Filipinos
believed that a man is composed of a
body, a life force called ginhawa, and a
kaluluwa.
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Readings in Philippine History
This explains why the design of the cover
of the Manunggul Jar features three faces
- the soul, the boatman, and the boat itself.
The faces of the figures and on the prow of
the boat have eyes and mouth rendered in
the same style as other artifacts of
Southeast Asia of that period. The two
human figures in a boat represent a
voyage to the afterlife. The boatman is
holding a steering paddle while the one on
his front shows’ hands crossed on his
chest. The steersman's oar is missing its
paddle, as is the mast in the center of the
boat, against which the steersman would
have braced his feet.
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Readings in Philippine History
The manner in which the hands of the front
figure are folded across the chest is a
widespread practice in the Philippines
when arranging the corpse. The cover of
Manunggul Jar provides a clear example
of a cultural link between the archeological
past and the ethnographic present. It also
signifies the belief of ancient Filipinos in
life after death.
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Readings in Philippine History
The Manunggul Jar tells us of our
connections with our Southeast Asian
neighbors. The design is a proof of our
common heritage from our Austronesian-
speaking ancestors despite the diversity of
the cultures of the Philippine peoples.5
Traces of their culture and beliefs can still
be seen in different parts of the country
and from different Philippine ethno-
linguistic groups, reminding us that there
can be a basis for the so-called “imagined
community” called the Filipino nation.
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Readings in Philippine History
The Manunggul Jar tells us of how important the
waters were to our ancestors. Before the internet,
the telephone, the telegram, and the plane, the
seas and the rivers were their conduit of trade,
information and communication. In the Philippine
archipelago, that, according to Peter Bellwood, the
Southeast Asians first developed a sophisticated
maritime culture which made possible the spread of
the Austronesian-speaking peoples to the Pacific
Islands as far Madagascar in Africa and Easter
Island near South America. Our ships—the
balanghay, the paraw, the caracoa, and the like—
were considered marvelous technological
advances by our neighbors that they respected us
and made us partners in trade, these neighbors
including the imperial Chinese.
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Readings in Philippine History
The Manunggul Jar shows that our
maritime culture is so paramount to us that
it reflected our ancestor’s religious beliefs.
Many epics around the Philippines would
tell us of how souls go to the next life
aboard boats, passing through the rivers
and seas. The belief is very much
connected with the Austronesia belief in
the anito. Our ancestors believed that man
is composed of the body, the life force
called the ginhawa, and the kaluluwa.
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Readings in Philippine History
The kaluluwa, after death, can return to
earth to exist in nature to guide their
descendants. This explains why the design
of the cover of the Manunggul Jar features
three faces, those of the soul, of the boat
driver, and of the boat itself. For them,
even things from nature have souls, have
lives of their own. That’s why our
ancestors respected nature more than
those who thought that it can be used for
the ends of man.
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Readings in Philippine History
The kaluluwa, after death, can return to
earth to exist in nature to guide their
descendants. This explains why the design
of the cover of the Manunggul Jar features
three faces, those of the soul, of the boat
driver, and of the boat itself. For them,
even things from nature have souls, have
lives of their own. That’s why our
ancestors respected nature more than
those who thought that it can be used for
the ends of man.
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Readings in Philippine History
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
“Map Analysis”
Pen & Paper
none
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
Directions:
1. Given the map below, extracted from Google Earth, the
Tabon Caves in the Lipuun Point of Palawan where the
Manunggul Jar was discovered are facing the South China
Sea and the Spratly Islands. Below the Palawan peninsula
is the island of Borneo. Do you find any relationship
between the symbolism of the design of the jar and the
surrounding environment? What do you think is the source
of inspiration in such design given its environment?
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
Directions:
1. Using your own analysis of the map, formulate your own
theory of the possible role of the Palawan peninsula in the
history of civilization in the early Philippines.
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
Map generated from Google Earth
Palawan Peninsula
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PR-3.1-1
Map generated from Google Earth
Manunggul, Tabon Caves
Lipuun Point,
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
For Flexible Distance Learning:
Screenshot of hand written answer on bond paper and uploaded at
Edmodo Apps
For Modular Distance Learning:
Handwritten bond paper and submitted at AISAT Campus
Five days after the discussion.
October 15, 2021
NO. 3
Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
“Writing Critical Essay”
Pen & Paper
none
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
Directions: Answer the following question in paragraph form.
1. What is the significance of Manunggul Jar in Palawan to
the Philippines history?
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Readings in Philippine History
PR-3.1-1
For Flexible Distance Learning:
Screenshot of hand written answer on bond paper and uploaded at
Edmodo Apps
For Modular Distance Learning:
Handwritten bond paper and submitted at AISAT Campus
Five days after the discussion.
October 15, 2021
NO. 3
Readings in Philippine History
“Education is the passport to
the future, for tomorrow
belongs to those who prepare
for it today”
