Islands of Transition: A Study of Jar Burial Landscapes in the Philippines

Don Matthews

This research explores locational choices for jar burial cemeteries in the Philippine archipelago circa 1000 to 4000 years ago, and why conflicting landscapes were selected for the practice. There has been scant research into the use and selection of landscapes in Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) or why particular locations may have been preferred, leaving a gap in our knowledge of how ancient peoples of the area interacted with and perceived the landscapes in which they lived. Much of the data was collected during the excavation of two jar burials sites that included contemporary extended burials and numerous surveys of known jar burial sites in the Philippine Archipelago coupled with research of the existing literature on ISEA. This study argues that the locations selected for jar burial cemeteries were not chosen randomly but rather with great care respecting both the symbolic and practical. The repeated selection of specific landscapes informs and illuminates the beliefs and cultural practices of these ancient communities. The results of this research suggest the past peoples of the Philippine Archipelago combined strong and complex spiritual beliefs with pragmatic solutions.