CHAPTER III

PRE-HISPANIC PHILIPPINES
Presented by:
ALEXIS JAY M. LOPEZ
 EARLY CONTACT WITH INDIA
• Southeast Asian studies indicate that the Indian cultural influences filtered into
the Philippines via the Sri Vijaya and Majapahit Empires, in rather modified
form, from the 9th to the 16th century. It was introduced by the Indianized
immigrants and traders from Indochina, Siam, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java,
and other islands of Indonesia. This is confirmed by the oral traditions of the
Filipino people and by archaeological relics excavated at different places in the
archipelago.
• Archaeological relics excavated in the Philippines further verify the flowing of
Indian influences to the archipelago during the Sri Vijaya and Majapahit periods
 These relics, aside from the ceramics from

• Annam (Vietnam),
• Cambodia,
• Siam,

Here are the following:

 Gold Image of Agusan
• it was excavated on the left bank of Wawa River near the town of
Ezperanza, Agusan Province, 1917. According to Prof Beyer, it is the
image of a Sivaite goddess but in the opinion of Dr. Juan R. Francisco, it
is a Buddhist Tara with Tantric connections, probably made during the
14th century A.D. towards the end of the Sri Vijaya Empire. This image is
now preserved at the Gem Room of the Chicago Museum of Natural
History.
 Bronze Image of Mactan
• found in the island of Mactan near Cebu in 1843. According to Beyer, it
is an image of the Hindu god Siva, but Francisco claims it to be a
Lokesvara image belonging to the Buddhist Siamese art of the 12th or
13th century A.D.
 Copper Image of Ganesha, Elephant God of
the Hindus
• also found in Mactan 1843. According to Beyer, it belongs to the
Majapahit period. Unfortunately, it perished in the Intramuros fires of
August 13, 1932. The Museum of the Ateneo de Manila, which housed it,
was reduced to ashes.
 Clay Medallion of Calatagan

• excavated at Calatagan. Batangas Province, in 1958.

According to Francisco, “this artefact belongs to the
12th or 13th century A.D. Buddho-Siamese art.”
 God Garuda Pendant of Palawan

• found at Brooke’s Point, Palawan Province, in 1961.

Francisco asserts that it belongs to the Majapahit
period. The garuda is a mythical bird which served as
the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu .
Ceramics from Cambodia, Annam, and Siam,
dating from the 12th to the 15th century A.D.
• excavated in Rizal Province, Batangas, Laguna,
Mindoro, Sorsogon, Palawan, and other places in the
Philippines.
END OF THE SLIDE

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