Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology

INITIAL INVENTORY AND DOCUMENTATION OF STONE/BRICK-AND-LIME VATS (BALDI) IN SOME NORTHERN TOWNS OF THE PROVINCE OF ILOCOS SUR, PHILIPPINES

2023-01-14T15:54:34-08:00

This is an initial inventory and documentation of remaining, abandoned and non-functioning vats, locally referred to as baldi, in some northern towns of Ilocos Sur, many of which are in various states of human-mediated damage and natural deterioration. It was undertaken by faculty proponents and students of the College of Architecture of the University of Northern Philippines, Vigan City with a local anthropologist for the period 2017 to 2018. The research sought to establish the significance of the vats in the cultural life of the province. As a descriptive method of research of the qualitative type, the project basically aimed to identify the location of the vats, determine their construction methodology and materials of construction, inscribe their architectural character and features, evaluate their current physical condition and contexts, and ascertain their ownership. The information gathered is structured and presented in a summary of 1) Inventory, in tables, 2) Graphical presentation, 3) Photographs and 4) Description of vat attributes. There are 63 (7 of which could not be measured and could only be photographed) inventoried vats, excluding wells and other features in a few vat assemblages in 17 vat sites (12 of which with visible vat assemblages [sites that include two or more vats]), in 10 barangays of 8 towns (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, and Bantay).

Documentation, Mapping, and Indigenous Knowledge of the Stone Monuments and Archaeological Remains in Liyai Khullen Village in Manipur, India

2023-04-23T21:03:13-07:00

This paper presents the result of a recent archaeological survey undertaken in Liyai Khullen village and surrounding areas settled by the Poumai Nagas in Manipur. The survey was conducted in an area of about 16 km² in the hill landscape to a) document the unreported archaeological remains and b) understand the indigenous knowledge of the residents. It documented 554 stone monuments and important features on the landscape, such as a renovated ancestral village gate and two sacred stone structures. Mapping these features on the hill landscape has revealed that most stone monuments are located in the habitation area, while a few are located near footpaths between the habitation area and terraced fields. Interviews with the residents who have witnessed and participated in the construction of stone monuments have shed crucial insights into the involved dynamics and knowledge about other archaeological remains, which will be helpful for in-depth future investigations.

The Beaked Adze in the Western Pacific

2023-08-22T21:29:04-07:00

Recent investigations of interactions in the western Pacific have focused on post-settlement contact between Micronesia and Melanesia. In the process they have largely overlooked the importance of the beaked adze, an unique adze form with a pointed cutting edge. The few dated contexts suggest that the presence of beaked adzes in the western Pacific did not occur until the last 500-700 years, spreading rapidly across Micronesia and islands along the northern fringe of Melanesia.

Using ethnographic and archaeological sources, a distinct, albeit limited, pattern of occurrence, provenance and chronology of beaked adzes is emerging in the western Pacific. Their rarity, workmanship and specific provenances suggest that at least among many of the Caroline and Marshall Islands they have served as symbols of prestige and social identity. Less is known about their function amongst the Polynesian Outliers although an ethnographic account indicate beaked adzes functioned as both tools and ceremonial objects. Using oral histories to provide a cultural context, it is argued here this artifact requires more detailed attention and analysis.