Animal Utilization During the Spanish Colonial Period (1565–1898): Zooarchaeological Insights from Intendencia, Intramuros, Manila

Joan Quincy Lingao1*, Noel Amano2, Patrick Roberts1,2,3, Victor Paz1,†, Eduardo Corona-M.4, and Juan Rofes1,5

In 1829, the aduana or customs house (later known as intendencia when it housed government offices) was constructed on a sandbar along the curtain wall of Intramuros. Old maps of Intramuros showed that this sandbar formed before the 19th century and was stable enough to support a local pier and fishing activities. The 2020 excavation of the Intendencia revealed a construction fill with mostly well-preserved redeposited animal bones. This faunal assemblage consists mainly of large mammal bones particularly those of bovines and pigs. Survivorship analysis showed that most bovines, particularly cattle, were likely slaughtered at the age of 2–3.5 years. Some water buffaloes survived beyond 4 years of age, suggesting their sustained utilization, possibly as draught animals. Meanwhile, pigs were likely slaughtered as early as 8–18 months. In terms of carcass processing, high meat yielding parts such as ribs and upper limbs were represented in bovines and pigs. Butchery marks also indicate different activities generally associated with carcass processing such as skinning, gross disarticulation, portioning, and pot-sizing. Other animals that were also consumed during this period were chicken, fish, and turkey. In particular, the butchery marks on the turkey bones are currently the earliest evidence of turkey consumption in the Philippines. These findings present insights into animal utilization in Intramuros and its environs, including the management and consumption of livestock.