Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Group 7
29 April 2016
National Museum Field Visit
Tradeware Ceramics
Ceramics
Ceramics is defined as any inorganic, non-metallic objects prepared from clay and other earth-derived materials that
are shaped and subsequently hardened through heating. Ceramics are known to be intrinsically hard, brittle, heatresistant and corrosion-resistant. They can be classified into Earthenware, Stoneware and Porcelain, in order of
increasing firing temperature, and therefore trade value.
Earthenware/terra-cotta is fired at relatively lower temperatures (1700 to 2100F) and is made of porous clay.
Stoneware is a mixture of clay and feldspar and fired at a temperature ranging from 2220 to 2230. Lastly, Porcelain is
made of kaolin (white clay from China) and feldspar, and then fired at a temperature ranging from 2500 to 2700F.
Porcelain, which has a glass-like finish, is the most expensive because of its durability and strength. It was regarded with
high prestige and was of great demand all over the world during the ceramic age.
There were many ceramic materials found in the San Diego shipwreck that date back to the 16th century. These
were said to be mostly from Burma, and they can be grouped into four types - Spanish Jars, Martaban Jars, Siamese
Jars, and Dragon Jars.
Spanish Jars are round-bottomed, elongated jars that have constricted necks and inverted rims. They were used to
store olives, oils, dried fruits, wine, and tar.
The Martaban Jars in the San Diego ship were believed to be made in Pegu, but found in Burma. These
globular/ovoid jars were either green, dark brown, or black glazed stoneware made of red clay, and were used as storage
for trade goods, water, or wine.
The Siamese jars are globular vessels from Thailand. They could carry up to 300 liters of liquid. The San Diego
cargo had about 124 jars of this type and many similar jars were found even in Malaysia and Indonesia, suggesting the
popularity of this type of jar.
Dragon jars were made in Southern China, and are characterized by the dragon decoration on the
shoulders/handles of the jars, and the wave-like patterns on the jars. This decoration is a representation of one of the
oldest Chinese myths.
Many blue and white bottles (which were said to be used to hold wine) were also found in the shipwreck. These
bottles were decorated with Buddhist/Taoist symbols of immortality, healing, etc (mostly herbs or leaves).
Generic Exhibits
Biodiversity exhibit
The biodiversity exhibit displayed mounts of several species of flora and fauna within the Philippines. Notable
displays were the pressed plant samples and the crab mounts. Many of the plant species displayed were cultivated,
suggesting that plants besides rice were farmed and that earlier societies were highly agricultural; an example of such a
species is Maranta arundinacea (known locally as araru), which is cultivated for its starchy, edible roots. In certain
isolated barrios, the plant is also used for starching cloth.
As for the crab mounts, only one of the three species displayed is common in Philippine waters: that of Ranina
ranina, which is locally known as curacha. This means cockroach, and it is named so due to its hairy legs which
resemble those of the insect. Their prevalence in waters around Sulu and the fact that the species is indigenous to the
location suggest the possibility that it has long been part of the locals diets.
Rice Museum
Rice farming implements used by different ethnic groups in the Philippines were displayed in the exhibit. Included
were harvesting knives of the Isneg, Palawan, Tinguian, and Maranao; mortars and pestles of the Ifugao, Tagbanwa, and
Gaddang; the harrow and plow of the Tagalog; winnowing trays of the Gaddang and Botok; rice baskets of the Botok,
Mangyan, and Tagbanua; rice measures of the Maranao and Palawan, cooking instruments of the Ifugao, Kalinga,
Tagalog, and Maranao; the pinipig container of the Maranao; rice wine cups of the Ifugao; and others. In another part of
the exhibit, an interactive display detailed the different techniques and terminologies used by the Ibaloi, Ilocano,
Kapampangan, and Tagalog.
From Luzon to Mindanao, Filipinos created tools for harvesting, dehusking, cooking, storing, and eating rice. Other
products such as wine, straw, chaff, and flour also came from palay. The exhibit showed the central role of palay in the
lives of Filipinos, no matter what area of the Philippines.
Sources:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ceramics
http://digitaleducation.net/epa-web/visual-artsftpottery/
https://www.mint.com/barter-system-history-the-past-and-present#sthash.rXW1HhE5.dpuf
https://ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090702020712AAQeJ0g
http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/the-ceramic-age/
http://www.stuartxchange.com/Araro
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2014/03/14/food-fridays-a-crabby-cockroach-from-the-philippines/