House construction yields archaeological artifacts

TACLOBAN CITY — Relics believed to have been buried since the precolonial era were unearthed during a house construction in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

A secondary burial jar containing human bones believed to be that of a child, a 7.36cm Celadon jarlet (stamped at the base), and two gold slit hoops were excavated in Barangay 12 (Butak) during a construction in the property of Maria Victoria Rama Cablao on Thursday, 9 May.

Guiuan municipal administrator Kinna Kwan, who previously worked at the National Historical Commission, led the documentation of the artifacts.

“These are physical evidences of our precolonial history,” Kwan said.

History professor Rolando Borrinaga said these latest archaeological finds in Guiuan are Song era artifacts that can be dated back before 1200.

Jesuit missionary and historian Francisco Ignacio Alcina, in his manuscripts of 1668, mentioned the coastal village of Butak as the earliest settlement in Guiuan. Alcina was assigned in different parts of Samar Island from 1637 – 1668 with Borongan as his first assignment after his ordination.

Kwan said the artifacts are now stored at the Guiuan Museum building excep t for a few items that are still with the finder’s family.

She said the law mandates the local government unit to report archeological finds to agencies such as the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and the National Museum. She added the NCCA and NM are planning to visit Guiuan but remains uncertain if emergency excavations will be conducted at the same site.

“We have conducted a systematic documentation of the exposed archaeological materials for the purpose of safeguarding the items prior to the arrival of the specialists,” Kwan said.