Bayad, Toby T.

MatE 15 | THW
BS Materials Engineering | 2919-04865 Mr. John Kenneth Cruz

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY

New materials lead to power, very evident from empires back then who
continuously at war with each other, Egypt who
only had their hands with copper was lost to
Hyksos whose weapons are made from bronze
(combination of copper and tin), Hittites, a group
of craftsman was able to maintain their power for
a long time, as they were the first to use iron as
weapons. Figure 1: Hyksos Invasion

Materials leads to revolution, as new material were commercialize, new ideas

and new application for further improvement was able to made, United States of
America was able to make steam engine, equip their ships with metals compare to
wood warships of the west, thus coming into power. Thus materials innovation has a
wide impact on our history, which seems not appreciated or failed to notice by other
people, which I am about to discuss.

Earthenware materials such as clay pots, also known as palayok were mainly
used during pre-colonial Philippines as displayed on the National Museum, brought by
maritime communities 4200 years ago, I appreciate how early Filipinos maximize its
use. From cooking pots at home, flower pots, display
designs with the shape of head, to rituals and burial jars
like manungngul jar. I even recall how this pots were
used by my grandmother to store water back at 2000.
From sourcing of clay near potter’s village, sand, rice
chaff and crushed pottery was mixed to make the
molded vessel durable during and after firing. The
Figure 2: Clay Pots potter gets a sizeable lump to mold into a particular
vessel form, by the help of paddle and stone anvil, they are further shape into size and
thickness. After this, cooked again in an open area covering with dried branches,
leaves, grass and rice chaff. This might easy to produce but hard to transport given
roads are not cemented and the weight of each pot.

Porcelain from China was introduced to our

country afterwards, a more aesthetically
appealing compare to clay pots. China was
also known through Europe on those days
because of this product, as Chinese was
innovative and business minded. This new
type of ceramic catch the eye of Filipino and

Figure 3: Porcelein if I am also an elite during those days, I’ll also

buy one.

They also used composite materials like bones as accessories and sea shells
as spoons. Ivory industry was also common in the country, which is very distressing,
given how they take it from elephants. Anitos made from wood, a precolonial
Philippines symbol of God or ancestor were abundant
on Luzon. During Spanish colonization, woods were
also used in making statues and idols of saints, which
helps in the Christianization process of the natives.
Spanish use a method called parallelism simply
commonality, as native have idols of their own, they
also have saints, as they have their Babaylan, they
also have priest, and surprisingly it works. Figure 4: Ivory

Woods are common material for building houses,

which is really abundant during old times and I
acknowledge how primitive Filipino were able to
categorize trees according to their strength for
practical uses, as I learned that not all type of tree
are hard enough to become foundation of houses
and the idea of using cogon grass as roof is
superb.
 Spanish also introduced metal guns, they
were equipped with Kevlar and have helmets while
Filipino warriors only had bolos as equipment. Early
guns was made by simple barrel back then,
comparing with our latest guns who are way more
fatal. Cannons were also used during the defense of
Manila by a smith known as Panday Pira which
Figure 6: Early guns shock Spanish officials, but suspected that came
from declining Portuguese empire and not by Pira himself, the concept of Filipinos
having able to smith metals those days deserve a praise. They also used metals for
hunting, accessories such as gold and utensils.

Metals become coins and used as means to buy something to replace barter
system, it is way more systematic than normal trading and
I think this helps early Filipinos too, since barter system
includes two company who desired product of the opposite
party, you may not be able to get what you desired if your
product is not needed by the other party, but due to
introduction of money, things had change, you only need to
had the specific amount of money to buy your wants and
needs. Bamboos and tree barks was also used to preserve
Figure 7: Coins
language and writing, materials became courier of language.

From the use animal hide to polymers in making clothes, which had a pleasing
pattern for my eyes, most appealing design was owned by
Moros, but how hard to produce one back then. By beating
the plant like pineapple leaves, the fibers will become
visible, they will separate this fibers and put it in a spindle
to make thread and proceed with weaving using loom
stock. It was also used in nets and fishing become easier,
due to this, I can tell, as materials advance life become
more comfortable. Weapons for hunting are mainly
Figure 8: Fabric
harpoons and bow and arrows, but the arrows used back
then was weird, it also looks like harpoon but shot on bow. Filipino also learned to
harvest rattan and abaca to use as ropes.
 Musical instruments made from bamboos can also be seen, I realize people
tend to use materials present in their area thus if trading didn’t come, new materials
won’t be available or introduced on new places.
Vakul by Ivatans was also seen that made from
grasses, as trees don’t tend to grow on their
area due to strong winds, people of Ivatan
improvised their own shade, and their houses
are made of stones to compare with, different
from what other community houses are made
below them, I appreciate how material was
chosen depending on the environment. Figure 9: Bamboo xelophone

I am well amazed as a Materials Engineer student and I also wish to innovate

and become an amazing person on history of mankind. To invent new material that
will brought new revolution, and make people appreciate my course throughout the
country. I accept the challenge.

RESOURCES:

[1] Marvin Perry, A History of the World, Revised Edition; 1988; page 46. es:
[2] National Museum Writings and Documentation, read January 25,2020