Ayala Museum

Little did we know, when we were sent on a field send to the Loyal Museum, what we would see there. All that we were told was that It was an educational field trip and something to do with Flanagan. Nets advocacy of anything and everything Filipino. So, we were really in for a treat when we set foot on the fourth floor of the museum and a short film started to institute the moment we stepped inside the sliding doors. Gold of Ancestors Crossroads of Civilization, it began, and went on to show some amber artifacts that had been found on archaeological launchpad all over the country.We were mesmerisms from the very first one. Then, Just beyond the secondary chamber where we were viewing the film, we caught sight of the display cases containing the very artifacts that were now trice on the screen. After that, we could hardly Walt to go and see them up clam up We saw amberen bangles, rings, and necklaces, earrings, tiaras and studs, belts, bowls, cups and hilts of weapons. I was fa scinated when I saw the inhumation masks, with stylized features engraved In the gold. I thought forget past Egypt, It turns out the Philippines has its ownAside from the burial masks, there were also opening move coverings, shaped like the eyes, the nose and the mouth. I guess If the dead couldnt permit a whole mask, they could just go for the important parts Whew sound over, King -rut Aside from the burial masks, I was also fascinated with the Kina, a small vessel shaped like a mythical woman-bird, who appeared to be holding some kind of Jug. Her eyes looked serenely out at the people who had come to see her. thither was also the bluntly, an anthropomorphic brass section depleting the head of a lady with what seemed like an elaborate hairdo or headdress.I also drooled over a cuff or wrist ornament, as wide as a sleeve and intricately worked, so that the gold mesh was like lace. The information on it say it weighed 204 grams. Heavy There were also earrings so big and so heav y that we all wondered how the proprietor could possibly remove worn It without getting his or her ears torn. My personal favorite, however, was a beautiful belt (l know someones snickering while reading TLS ). Catalog no. 81. 5175, weighing 575. 1 g, measuring 68. Xx CM. Circa 10th 13th century.It was do of fine mesh, with a zigzag design running along its length, and deuce golden plaques ornamented with granules of gold painstakingly arranged into stylized designs. Oh, I could have stood there and stared at it forever Then, there was the piece De resistance the UAPITA or Sacred Thread, weighing almost 4 kilos (yeah- peeve ), strikingly identical to one depicted In the 16th century Boxer Codex, said to be the earliest description of the people of the Philippines In a westward language. Copy of which can be found in the exhibit. The UAPITA was supposed to be draped around the neck then attached to the wrist. Wow, the person who wore that mustve been moderately strong What was striking about these artifacts was that they seemed so Pinto to me. There were at least two necklaces or bracelets that were woven banging- Tyler take four flat strips of gold and weave a fifth one back and forth crosswise it, the reminded me of the legs of a modern armchair made of into because it had the same basket-weave technique.Some of the other items were decorated exclusively by poking holes in the gold to create a webby pattern. The tiaras were created by cutting a sort of fringe in a strip of gold, then bending them back and forth to make a crown-like design. Seeing the exhibit made all of us walk a little taller and prouder. We had always read about the treasures of other lands, like Egypt and troy now we know that we have our own Mayhap nag Philippians