Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs are images, designs or messages drawn or directly pecked on rock surfaces by ancient or prehistoric people using a stone chisel and a stone hammer. Situated in both jurisdictions of Angono and Binangonan in the province of Rizal, the Philippines boasts petroglyphs consisting of 127 figure carvings engraved on the wall of a shallow cave of volcanic tuff that dates to the 3rd millennium. It is among the oldest surviving examples of rock engravings in Asia, and to date the oldest in the Philippines. Archaeological excavations at the site yielded fragments of earthenware and obsidian flakes, which suggest that the cave may have been used during the Neolithic period.

The carvings were of “stylized human figures, frogs, lizards” and others, which, legend says, were for healing and religious purposes as they were in a “dambana,” or an altar or shrine. Researchers, as well as pundits, said the figures were of medicinal and religious function made by ancestors to “transfer the sickness of a child onto the limestone wall, thus curing the child of his ailment.” Indeed, such carvings are a distinct collection of practices from a distant period of Philippine history.

The petroglyphs were discovered by renowned national artist, Carlos “Botong” Francisco, in 1965. They were declared a National Cultural Treasure in 1973, listed in the World Inventory of Rock Art in 1985, and included in the World Monuments Watch in 1996.

The Angono-Binangonan petroglyphs are presently situated in a 2,000-hectare gated subdivision surrounded by one of the top five rated golf courses in the country, a resort casino hotel, nice houses and a row of scenic, Instagram-able restaurants, coffee shops and an art center overlooking Laguna de Bay and the skylines of Alabang and Ortigas against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Yet, absent from the petroglyphs are the crowds, the tourists, students and enthusiasts who usually flock to such heritage sites in other countries, such as the Corinth Canal, a three-and-a-half hour road trip from Athens where millions of visitors a year see how a mountain was split into two to connect the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea, effectively turning the Peloponnese peninsula into an island.

The carvings were of ‘stylized human figures, frogs, lizards’ and others, which, legend says, were for healing and religious purposes.

Thus, an international maritime hub that transformed navigation in southern Europe was created. Similarly, millions of tourists flock to the Kalambaka area, also several hours away from Athens, to visit the Meteora monasteries located above interestingly different shapes of mountains that became popular in a James Bond movie. Perhaps, the difference lies in the narrative, legend or not, myth or otherwise, but one thing is certain, there is national pride for such heritage sites coupled with the government’s good promotion and marketing.

In an article in 2014, Rappler sounded alarm bells on the probable loss of the petroglyph cave art due to urban development. It is heartwarming to know that the new regulators are seriously bent on protecting this heritage site. The property owners have donated the land where the site sits, as well as its peripheral areas. A tunnel was carved out to gain easier access while the vegetation around was being supported. The landowners committed to enlarging the tunnel to provide easier access even for people with disabilities, cleaning the perimeter and improving its landscape.

But still, much is desired to preserve and sustain this piece of Philippine history.