Readings in Philippine History

3
“The Manunggal Jar”

MS. REAH MAE ESPIRITU

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Readings in Philippine History

“The Manunggal 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

The Manunggal 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.
• One of the finest Philippine pre-colonial
artworks ever produced and is a considered
a masterpiece.
• It is denoted a national treasure and it is
designated as item 64-MO-74 by the
National Museum of the Philippines.
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Readings in Philippine History

• It is made from clay with some sand

soil.
• 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.
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• 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.
• 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

Discovery Of The Jar

• Dr. Robert B. Fox and Miguel
Antonio in 1964.
• It was found alongside the
discovery of the remains of
Tabon Man.
• In the expansion, the Tabon
Caves is known to be a site of
jar burials with artifacts dating
a range from 4250-2000 BP.
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Readings in Philippine History

First Excavation and Response to Discovery

• 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

Design of the Jar

• 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.
• The upper part of the Manunggul jar, as well as the
cover, is carved with curvilinear scroll designs which
are painted with hematite.
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Readings in Philippine History

• 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

• 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.
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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 two human figures in a boat
represent a voyage to the
afterlife.
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Readings in Philippine History

• 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 ofancient Filipinos in life
after death.
• 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.
• 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.
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Readings in Philippine History

PR-3.1.1
Critical Essay

Pen & Paper

none
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Readings in Philippine History

PR-2.1.1

Directions: Answer the following question in

paragraph form.

A. 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
CRITERIA 4 6 8 10
1. CONTENT – Contents arE extensively presented. Establish
connection with one other in a detailed way.
[Link] – Significantly related to the theme. The essay is
focused on topic at hand and a lot of attention is given to details.

3. ORGANIZATION – The order developed and sustained within and

across paragraphs using transitional devices and including
introduction
and conclusion.
4. Style – The choice, use and arrangement of words and sentence
structures that create tone and voice.

5. Conventions – Grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and

sentence
formation.
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Readings in Philippine History

PR-3.1.1

For Flexible Distance Learning:

▪ Take a picture of your hand written work on bond paper and uploaded to
our Google Classroom.
For Face to Face Learning:
▪ Handwritten in bond paper and submitted during our class hours.

▪ Five days after the discussion.

▪ October 5, 2024
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Readings in Philippine History

“It’s not about

perfect. It’s
about the
effort you put
in.”