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| Ancient and Traditional Scripts of the Philippines |
Prehistoric and pre-Hispanic evidences of Philippine script have been recovered from the archaeological record and from accidental finds. The National Museum has six in its collection, found in Laguna, Butuan, Batangas, Masbate and Manila.
The Laguna Copper-Plate, Calatagan Pot and Butuan Paleograph were declared as National Cultural Treasures (NCT) in 2010 by the National Museum.
To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of her past.
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| Laguna Copper Plate |
The Laguna Copper Plate was discovered by a quarry company in the Lumbang River, Laguna in 1989 in an ancient grave site, where gold ornaments, stone tools, bronze images, coins, stone adzes, porcelains, potteries, jade and other artifacts were also found.
Ten lines of characters cover one side of the plate, probably impressed or hammered, representing a script already rarely used by 900 A.D. (Postma 1991). Separate studies made by Antoon Postma, a Dutch researcher of the Mangyan ambahan for over 50 years and Dr. Johannes Gijsbuertus de Caparis, a Dutch paleographer, identify the main language as old Malay mixed with Sanskrit, old Javanese and old Tagalog terms.
Postma, translates the artifact's writing as Old Javanese script (Sanskrit Kawi) with Old Malay words (1991). It is about a case of partial debt payments in gold by a person of nobility, Namwran, to a Chief of Dewata representing the Chief of Mdang. The inscription was made as a document and witnessed by the leaders of Puliran (now Pulilan), Kasumuran, the leader of Pailah, Ganasakti and the leader of Bingwangan, Bisruta.
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| Intramuros Pot Shard |
The Intramuros Pot Shard is the only artifact with ancient inscription recovered systematically. This pottery shard was retrieved below the brick floor of the Iglesia de San Ignacio in Intramuros, Manila in 2009. Found associated with trade ware ceramics attributed to Ming Dynasty (15th-16th centuries A.D.), this artifact has an ancient inscription on its shoulder.
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| Monreal Stones |
The tablet (big stone) and stone (small stone) were found inside the compound of the Rizal Elementary School in Monreal, Ticao Island, Masbate and was brought to the National Museum in October 2011. The bigger stone (Monreal Stone 1) have both sides engraved with scripts. One side (Side A) has seven lines with 56 characters, while the other side (Side B) has 10 lines with 84 characters. The small stone (Monreal Stone 2) has 16 characters.
The Monreal Stones are the first discovered stone artifacts with ancient inscription or baybayin. An article made my Dr. Ramon Guillermo (2013) is about transcription of the inscription that was collectively formed by an interdisciplinary group of "UP Ticao, Masbate Anthropological Project Team". This article is about the systematic study of the inscription on the Ticao Stones and suggestions that will lead to its possible translation. Also, included in the article are the problems regarding the issues on the authenticity of the stones.
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