Libertad, Butuan City
1002 AD

An ivory stamp seal associated with a shell midden dated 9th-12th century was found in Libertad, Butuan City in Agusan del Norte (southern Philippines). Inscribed on the seal is the word Butban in stylized Kavi. The script has a similarity to the Tagalog script. Butban, was presumed to stand for Butwan or Butuan since the letters “b” and “w” were frequently interchanged.

Dated 1002 A.D., the seal could have been used for documentation in trading.