Philippine Art History Quiz

Coffins and Receptacles

• Coffins made from tree barks and fibers woven into mats served as receptacles for food and belongings to accompany the dead on their journey to the other world.
• Receptacles can also be made from leaves, wood, and bamboo, with bamboo being the most popular material due to its abundance and natural characteristics.

Textile Weaving

• Flat stone tools were used to pound and flatten tree barks into primitive textiles.
• These tools have been excavated, providing evidence of ancient textile weaving techniques.

Jewelry

• Shells were used to create accessories such as bracelets and pendants.
• A piece of cone shell, possibly an earring, was discovered in Duyong Cave, Palawan, and serves as an example of ancient jewelry.
• Early adornments also included animal bones, small stones, and jade ornaments.
• Accessories made of jade (nephrite) were found in Palawan and Calatagan excavation sites.
• Later jewelry included beads made of glass, agate, and gold, with gold beads found in Guri Cave dating back to 300-100 B.C.E.

Pottery

• Clay pots were discovered in Masbate, dating back to 710 B.C.E.
• Pre-Hispanic pottery can be classified according to shape, method of decoration, and type of design on the surface.
• Shape includes the description of the vessel's body, mouth, and lips, as well as the presence of ears, spouts, and legs.
• Methods of decoration include impressed and incised designs.
• Impressed designs involve pressing objects onto the wet clay surface, while incised designs use sharp objects to draw patterns on the earthenware.
• Designs can be either abstract or representational, with abstract designs featuring dots, lines, and curved lines inspired by nature, and representational designs depicting objects in nature, such as trees, animals, and human figures.

Philippine Art History

• Philippine Art History refers to the development of Filipino works of art from the beginning of civilization to the present era.
• The accumulation of these works in museums reflects the culture of the Philippine society and the influence of other cultures on local arts.
• Other artifacts, such as ancient tools and artifacts, have been discovered in various islands of the Philippines, including Batangas, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Davao, and Palawan.
• Examples of early artifacts include crude stone tools (flake tools) and receptacles used to enclose and protect the bodies of the dead, supporting the belief in life after death and immortality of the soul.