Philippine Sculpture

Brief History

Before the coming of the Spaniards, Philippine sculpture had a striking similarity with the Egyptian sculpture which is characterized by frontal nudity. Their difference lies in the symbolism behind the figure.

In the Philippines, particularly among the Ifugaos, the “bulol” (fertility) is considered as an Ifugao granary god. It is a wooden sculpture in human form to assure bountiful harvests for the natives.

The bulol, or sometimes bul-ol, to us not from the Cordilleras has accepted the common notion that this carving symbolizes a rice god who guards the Cordilleran’s rice granary.

Represented both as a man (with phallic protrusions that would make the convservative blush) and a woman, are common staples of the Baguio, Sagada, Banaue and elsewhere up the mountainous north tourist trade as trinkets and souvenirs.

Indeed, the original function of sculpture was religious especially in relation to ceremonies and beliefs.

The carvings brought to the Philippines by early Arab and Russian missionaries were of beveled type as the slanting type called Okkil. Although the word literally means “to carve” it is not confined to carving alone but also refers to design.

Modern Period

A familiar example of sculpture with the integration of architecture is the Art Deco Style of the Metropolitan Theater at Liwasang Bonifacio completed by Juan Arellano in 1931.

Woodcarving comes in ornamental form in the houses of the Maranao like that of the "torogan" which features the "panolong", an extended beam carved with the Sarimanok or the Naga design.

The Sarimanok

Bladed Weapons of the Philippines

These multi-purpose blades come in different materials and designs. Blades were made of iron which local smiths fashioned according to their own design. Some metal blades were ornamented with gold, silver, ivory, and brass.

Bladed Weapons

Ceramics

The Philippines has an abundant supply of ceramic clay, thus, it is not surprising that prehistoric pottery was used by early Filipinos for religious rituals, burial jars, and other household purposes.

The word ceramic was derived from the Greek word keramos meaning a potter; it was also derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “to burn.”

There are different products classified under ceramics. These are pottery, glass, structural ceramics, refractories, abrasives, cement, tiles and plastics.