Petroglyphs in the Philippines
 
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Petroglyphs in the Philippines |
Petroglyphs from prehistoric times arerarein the Philippines . So far, they have only been found in Angono , Rizal Province, and Bontoc , Mountain Province , petroglyphs. Furthermore, prehistoric rock paintings exist in three places. All sites were declared a national cultural heritage of the Philippines by Presidential Decree 374 and placed under protection. Since 2006, are petroglyphs and rock paintings in the Philippines summary on the proposed list of the Philippines for inclusion on the World Heritage List of UNESCO . It is generally accepted that they are the oldest artistic representations in the Philippines.
Angono petroglyphs
The Angono petroglyphs can be found in the mountainous part of the municipality near the municipality boundary with Antipolo City and Binangonan . They were engraved through cracks in the tufa of the mountain under a ledge that is 632 meters long, 4.68 meters high and 8.2 meters deep. The petroglyphs cover the rock face over a length of 25 meters up to a height of 3.70 meters. A total of 127 figures have been identified that have 51 different characteristics. According to the general opinion, they represent children and young people. Similar stylistic elements could also be found in petroglyphs in Thailand , Sulawesi and Malaysia . The engravings were created over a longer period of time, as the figures do not show any connection features in their orientation or size. For the artists and Neolithic viewers, they probably had spiritual significance. According to research by the National Museum of the Philippines , the petroglyphs originated in the late Neolithic , around 3000 to 2000 BC. At one point on the rock face a faded rock painting could also be discovered.
Bontoc petroglyphs
The Bontoc petroglyphs were discovered in the area of the Barangays Alab. They were engraved by pecking into boulders that are located in prominent places in the Cordillera Central . The elements were identified as female genitals and show typical characteristics of the representation from the Polynesian settlement area . Their age has been estimated to be 3500 years or younger.
Rock paintings
There are rock paintings in three different locations in the Philippines. These are the caves of Peñablanca in the north of the island of Luzon , the Singnapan caves in the south of the island of Palawan and on the Anda peninsula, Bohol province . Two different painting techniques can be distinguished. While charcoal was used for drawing in Peñablanca and the Singnapan Caves , red ferrous hematite was used in the Anda Peninsula . The age of the rock paintings is still pending.
See also
Other archaeological sites in the Philippines
- Arubo archaeological site
- Archaeological dig sites in the Cagayan Valley
- Butuan City Archaeological Dig Site
- Kabayan mummies
Web links
- Entry in the tentative list of UNESCO (English)
- Timeline of the History of the Philippines (PDF; 355 kB)