Author: rochelle-van reyes

Shell Bracelets

Posted on:  |  rochelle-van reyes Posted in Uncategorized.

Shell Bracelets in Prehistoric Philipines

  • 1 (15)

  • 2 (12)

  • 3 (12)

  • 4 (13)

  • 5 (6)

The holiday season is just around the corner! It’s that time of the year when we put on our best clothes for merry-making. Other than offering body protection from the environment, clothing is one of several means for people to express themselves. Body adornments, such as jewelry, are usually worn as an extension of clothing and enhance an individual’s look. Today’s #TrowelTuesday features shell ornaments—bracelets in particular—from the National Archaeological Collection!

Did you know that the oldest articles of jewelry were fashioned out of shells? Among these were beads made from the shells of dog whelks (Tritia gibbosula), a type of marine snail. The shell beads, dating to at least 142,000 years ago, were excavated at the Bizmoune Cave in Morocco. Archaeologists believed that these perforated shells, which could have been worn strung together, conveyed the wearer’s individual or group identity. 

In the Philippines, shell ornaments such as beads, bracelets, and pendants were recovered from several archaeological sites, with the earliest dating to 4,700 years ago in Duyong Cave. Specifically, shell bracelets possibly emerged in the archipelago around 3,500 years ago, as evidenced by shell artifacts recovered from Leta Leta Cave in northern Palawan. 

Shell bracelets are made from different types of shells such as cone snails, limpets, top snails, and giant clams, each exhibiting varieties of form and design across time and space. Their technology and usage seem to have persisted until the arrival of the Spanish. In fact, until the 20th century, anthropologists still documented a few indigenous communities manufacturing shell bracelets. An example of such a bracelet is displayed at the Lumad Mindanao Gallery of the National Museum of Anthropology.

Visit these artifacts at the National Museum of Anthropology! Open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9AM to 6PM. Admission is FREE!

#NationalMuseumPH #ShellBracelets

Continue reading

BIRDS OF “OLD” MANILA

Posted on:  |  rochelle-van reyes Posted in Uncategorized.

A snapshot of history…

Before the Spaniards invaded Manila, active trade was already taking place along the Pasig River such that rulers of Muslim communities who settled there already imposed custom duties on all commerce passing up the river.  In 1571, the fortress city of Intramuros was founded under the leadership of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, a spanish conquistador and the first governor-general of the Philippines.  During that time, Manila became the capital of the newly established colony.

As the nation’s capital, Manila has been seriously threatened and even occupied by other foreign powers (i.e. the Chinese in 1574, the Dutch in mid 17th century, and the British in 1762 but was restored back to Spain after the Treaty of Paris in 1763).  Furthermore, Manila was opened to foreign trade in 1832 which was fueled more by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.  It is also during the late 19th century that the height of the Filipino revolution against the spaniards was witnessed especially after the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal in December 1896 – the same year that, the other part of the world is celebrating the discovery of the Philippine eagle.

In 1898, the Americans win the war against the spaniards.  And for at least 4 decades, the Philippines was under U.S. colonial rule.  It was during this period that the US promote social and economic improvement for the city and encourage gradual Filipino political autonomy.  It is also during this period that the famous Bureau of Science was founded (October 26, 1905).  The Bureau houses some 25,000 bird skins collected in more than three decades under the leadership of Richard C. McGregor – who also became the first Chief of the Natural History Division during the American period.  Sadly, all of the collections were destroyed during the Battle of Manila in February 1945.

Shortly after the war, Filipino collectors under the leadership of Dr. Canuto G. Manuel, Curator of the Zoological Collection, Philippine National Museum started to rebuild the Philippine Zoological Collections.  Interestingly, at least 62 birds were first collected in the vicinities of Manila right after the termination of hostilities.

Text by RC Urriza

Layout & graphics by AM Domingo

Photos by AM Domingo and RC Urriza

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Arbor Day

Posted on:  |  rochelle-van reyes Posted in Uncategorized.

Arbor Day

  • Deforestation through logging and kaingin (slash and burn faming) contributes to the rapid increase in greenhouse gases that speed up the adverse effects of climate change.

  • Our tropical forest serves as a carbon sink that stores greenhouse gases which are the main cause of climate change. We need to plant native trees in our area to avoid the unnecessary accidental introduction of invasive alien species.

  • A single tree you planted might have an insignificant impact but our collective efforts of planting trees will slowly create a big impact to save our planet Earth.

In the recent trends, climate scientists say it’s ‘now or never’ to climate change’s critical limits which they are struggling to convince and call for action of every political leader to take it seriously. It is a moral responsibility of every nation and us as individuals to take care of our only home, the planet earth. The government must now look for alternative sources of renewable energy, lessen reliance on fossil fuels, and come up with solutions to mitigate climate change.

Planting a tree during #ArborDay is a simple act of commitment to help save our planet Earth. Why should we plant more trees? First, it can combat Climate Change, through photosynthesis, the harmful carbon dioxide from the air is absorbed and stored in the trees. In return, oxygen is released by the trees for us to breathe easily.

Urban trees provide shade, shelter, and a source of food for many native animals residing in the city. Urban trees are good for our mental and physical health and have proven to reduce our stress and anxiety. Trees in the watershed safeguard our water supply during long droughts.

But we must consider choosing the right species of trees to be planted in the right place to avoid possible invasive alien species. We should promote planting native and/or endemic species in our forests to enhance the local biodiversity.

The tree that we planted today might have no visible impact today but as it grows its many ecological services will benefit our future generation far beyond our lifetime. Now is the time for us to start planting a tree.

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines

Continue reading

“Merging Art with Science: Drawing the Philippine Eagle” workshop

Posted on:  |  rochelle-van reyes Posted in News and Events, Uncategorized.

NMP conducts “Merging Art with Science: Drawing the Philippine Eagle” workshop

  • 1 (1)

  • 16

  • 14

  • 13

  • 6

In celebration of Philippine eagle week (June 4-10), your National Museum of the Philippines held its first face-to-face workshop on drawing the Philippine eagle last Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at the Vergara and Co Education Rooms at the National Museum of Natural History building.

Merging Art with Science: Drawing the Philippine Eagle workshop’s objective is to raise awareness on the plight of our national bird, and get familiar with its physical features through various references – be it research publications, photos, taxidermy specimens, and art while learning how to draw.

The workshop was attended by 24 participants, ranging from beginners to professional artists, teachers, and students. The workshop began with opening remarks from Zoology Division’s Curator I/OIC Marivene Santos, followed by an inspirational message from Dr. Jayson Ibanez of the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. – National Museum of the Philippines’ long-time collaborator.  Then, Zoology Division’s (ZD) ornithologist, Rolly Urriza gave a short talk about the natural history and conservation status of the Philippine Eagle, after which ZD artists Aissa Domingo, Eddie Codino, and Larie Dianco introduced and told stories about Gemma, Sakura, and Tinuy-an — National Museum’s resident Philippine eagles taxidermy mounts to our participants, and then they demonstrated various drawing techniques and exercises that allowed the participants to observe their subject thoroughly before interpreting it into paper.  

The activity ended with observational drawing, wherein participants could dissect their subjects using simple geometric shapes and moved further into detailing by applying the other techniques they learned during the workshop. The event received positive feedback from the participants and we hope to bring you more similar activities and workshops at your National Museum in the future.

Continue reading

Mt. Hamiguitan New Plant Discoveries

Posted on:  |  rochelle-van reyes Posted in Uncategorized.

The 5th day of #MuseumWeek bears the theme “culture, society, and innovation” and today’s topic #environmentMW focus on the new plant discoveries in Mt. Hamiguitan. This mountain is still full of surprises as new species are discovered each year. 

Mt. Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1403/) in 2014 because it represents a complete, substantially intact, and highly diverse mountain ecosystem, in a significant biogeographic region of the Philippines. As a result of its isolation and its vegetation in ultramafic soil and climate conditions, its biodiversity has a high level of endemicity that has led to the discovery of unique species found nowhere else. The unique “bonsai” forest is the largest known tract of its kind in the Philippines that embodies nature’s adaptability to survive in adverse conditions.

Mt. Hamiguitan is home to five Nepenthes or pitcher plants found else in the world. Nepenthes peltata was described in 2008, followed by Nepenthes micramphora in 2009, Nepenthes hamiguitanensis in 2010, Nepenthes justinae in 2016, and the newest species described was Nepenthes alfredoi in 2018. 

Other taxa discovered in the area were ferns such as Lindasaea hamiguitanensis in 2012 and two grass fern Actinostachys minuta in 2020 and Actinostachys simplex in 2021. Actinostachys minuta is known as the smallest grass fern with a unique habit of growing along the trunk of the tree ferns (Alsophila sp.). 

Rubiaceae (Coffee family) one of the largest family in the Philippines has several new species described from Mt. Hamiguitan. Ophiorrhiza erythropilosa and Ophiorrhiza hamiguitanensis both deascribed in 2020 and Hedyotis hamiguitanensis in 2021. In the mistletoe family (Loranthaceae), a new genus record for the country and new species Amylotheca cleofei was described in 2021.

The list of both flora and fauna of Mt. Hamiguitan is far from complete. As researchers visit new sites not previously surveyed, many more species are discovered and described. Let us protect our remaining primary forests as they harbor many unknown species waiting to be discovered. 

#MuseumWeek2022
#environmentMW
#NationalMuseumPh

© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines