The Laguna Copper Plate

Inscription (LCI)
By Prof. Jet T. Castillo
The LCI
Background
• This is the earliest written document in
the Philippines
• 1989 – dug up accidentally at the mouth
of the Lumban River, Laguna in a
dredging activity.
• The laborer who found it tried to sell it
to antique shops, but having no buyer, it
was donated to the National Museum.
Background
• It is 8 inches by 12 inches
• The size of a bond paper
• It has embossed lettering, similar to
wiggly worms.
Background
• A year later, in 1990, Antoon Postma,
translated it in English.
• Antoon Postma was a Dutch
anthropologist who lived most of his life
among the Mangyan tribe in Mindoro.
Background
• The LCI was dated around 900 CE
• It is 1,100 years old
• It gives us clues on what life was in our
archipelago 600 years before the coming
of the Spaniards.
The 900 CE Southeast Asia context
• There were a few political
superpowers or empires in
Southeast Asia
• Dvarati Empire – in Thailand
• Khmer Empire – Cambodia
• Champa – in South Vietnam
• Srivijaya – in Malaysia and
Indonesia
The 900 CE Southeast Asia context
• These empires were greatly
influenced by India culturally
• Southeast Asian languages were
also influenced by India
• Example words: raja, datu, devata
(diwata), ahas, kamay, mukha,
mahal, asawa
• Handwriting/ script was also
Indianized
The 900 CE Southeast Asia context
• How about the Philippines at that
time?
• We were influenced by the
Srivijaya empire
• Among the Southeast Asian
empires, the Srivijaya empire is the
only seafaring empire.
The 900 CE Southeast Asia context
• That’s why the LCI looks like
Sanskrit (Indian) script.
• The place names, people names,
and date names sound pretty
much Srivijayan and Indian.
The contents of the LCI
• The LCI is composed of 10 lines.
• Antoon Postma translated the LCI line-by-line as follows:
Let’s compare the 2 translations, look for
familiar words…
Now, let’s analyze the text….
• Look at the English translation and answer the online assessment.

Good luck! 