History
The existence of Catanauan as a pueblo (town) was first recorded in the map of Father Pedro Murillo dated on 1734. The petition dated 1685 of Bishop Andres Gonzales of Nueva Caceres, now known as Naga City in the Bicol Region, requesting the king of Spain to have Masbater and the Pueblo of Catanauan assigned to Recollect Order was reflective of the early creation of Catanauan. The recognized foundation date of the Municipality was January 20, 1686.
In the late 18th and 19th century, there were frequent Moro raids. These occurrences prompted the people to construct two small stone forts or watch towers (magkatanawan) mounted with artillery. Santa Maria watch tower was located at Lot 21 psc-2 near the present wharf is located. Castillo watch tower stood at the intersection of present Rizal and Boncan Street. Hence, the name Catanauan was so derived.
Catanauan excavations
Catanauan, Quezon is a coastal third-class municipality of the western Bondoc Peninsula, with the municipality of Mulanay on its south and southeast. It has coordinates of 13° 35' 30" N, 122° 19' 30" E, and its town has a total land area of 266 kilometers. Catanauan has a population of 57, 736 people in 11, 283 households. (2000 Philippine Census). The town proper faces Mompog pass and Marinduque Island, and borders the municipality of General Luna in the north-west, the municipality of Buenavista in the north-east.
The archaeological potential of Catanauan was brought to light in 2006 when Mr. Deo Cuerdo, citizen and cultural advocate of the municipality, reported to the University of the Philippines Archaeological Studies Program (UP-ASP) and the National Museum, cases of accidentally uncovered archaeological materials due to development projects, earthmoving activities, and even illegal diggings. The reported archaeological materials were mostly of jar burials.[19] UP-ASP conducted a preliminary archaeological survey in 2008, and discovered three sites. Since then, there have been a total of 8 excavation seasons in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and most recently in January 2017.
Sites
In the Catanauan excavations, there were 4 main sites; Napa site locality 1, Napa site locality 4, Campo site, and Comiso site. Each contain their own distinct artifacts and discoveries.
Napa Site Locality 1
Napa Site (Code IV-2008-Q5) was the primary excavation site, containing multiple trenches along with 3 main assemblages; SM1, SM2, and SM3, or “Stone Markers”. This is where most jar burials and tools were found.
Napa Site Locality 4
Locality 4 is a second location close to locality 1 with four active trenches containing multiple jar burials in very tight clusters, along with coral markers and lids scattered throughout.
Kampo Santo Site
This location, initially a 20th-century cemetery, was excavated with the hopes of discovering similar human remains, but unidentified markers were discovered, which purpose has not yet been determined.
Comiso Property Sites
This survey site was one of the earliest to be excavated and surveyed. Located in Barangay Matandang Sabang Kanluran, this site was heavily stirred up and roiled by quarrying sand. It was later discovered that this was once also another burial site. Its similarities though to other burial sites remain unclear.
Jar Burials
Catanauan, Quezon has been known for the numerous jar burials that have been recovered there. Even before the recent excavations in the site, locals have already reported that some jar burials in the site were uncovered through development projects, and that they were able to dig up a series of jar burials with human remains. As the site is very archaeologically rich, the Archaeological Studies Program of the University of the Philippines, Diliman and the Australia National University have been conducting research and excavations in Catanauan through the Catanauan Archaeological and Heritage Project since 2008.
The Napa site in Barangay Tuhian, Catanauan is a very significant place for archaeological research. Most of the jar burials found in Catanauan were recovered from this site. In the 2008 excavation, a lot of jar burials with their human remains were found in Locality 1, Napa site, specifically in trenches 4 and 6. The jars found were mostly earthenware. Different types of coral slabs and rocks served as jar covers. The jars were used for primary and secondary burials. Paz, et al. (2008)[20] inferred that people “went back to uncover the jars, take out the human remains in the jars, and when events dictated, a new body was placed in the old jar”. Some excavated jars were also used for child burials. Aside from human bones, different-colored glass beads, gastropods and fragments of metal were found inside the jars. Boat-shaped burial markers were also found in the site.
In 2010, more jar burials have been recovered as additional trenches were opened. One very distinct jar was the jar found in Trench 13 because of its unique features. It was the only jar from the site which had earthenware as its cover (Paz, et al., 2010).[21] It was oval-shaped and neonate remains were found inside it. Paz, et al. (2010) stated that as of 2010, there are 28 definite jar burials for the Napa site and they are at least a thousand years old.
Comiso Property site is another jar burial site in Catanauan. It is less than 10 km away from the Napa site. Burial jar sherds and fragments of human remains were found on the surface of the site (Paz, et al., 2010). The jar burials were found under shell middens. However, unlike the jars in Napa site, there were no Chinese glass beads found in the Comiso site. This may mean that the Comiso site is older than the Napa site (Paz, et al., 2011).[22]
Artifacts
Various artifacts have been excavated from Catanauan sites. These artifacts consists of burial jars, Earthenware sherds, skeletal remains, and shell middens.
In 2006, a sand quarry accidentally uncovered at least 5 jar burials containing human skeletal remains in Kanlagkit, Barangay Matandang Sabang Kanluran. At least three sandpits were left partially open, with the backfill containing earthenware sherds and skeletal fragments (mostly long bone).
During the 2008 excavation a shell midden was exposed. The area where local inhabitants dug up burial jars with human remains was abundant in limestone slab fragments, earthenware sherds, and human skeletal fragments. Below the discovered shell midden were a few shells and pottery. Even below that, two small, well fired reddish earthenware pot sherds were found. Some glass beads were also found. A child (neonate) burial was found inside a small earthenware pot 40 cm in diameter, with yellow glass beads buried along with it. Another burial (a female, from studying the pelvic bone) was discovered, and this had sherds from a small pot and a cylindrical artifact.
Catanauan Dagger
Archaeological digs by the Catanauan Archeological and Heritage Project (CAHP) have unearthed a unique iron dagger with an intricately carved bone hilt found at a jar burial site in the municipality facing Marinduque across the waters of the Mompog Pass.[23] There is evidence that Catanauan's burial practices date back at least 2,000 years, making them part of an ancient Filipino funerary custom that has been found in the eastern part of the central Philippines. Large earthenware jars were buried along the sandy shores and covered with slabs of coralline or volcanic stone to preserve the bodies. Grave woods, either personal belongings or votive offerings for the afterlife, were buried alongside the deceased.
It was found in a burial jar in Napa Site Locality 4 in 2017 during the CAHP's 9th field season, with the bone hilt in two pieces and four iron shards making up the blade. Many bone fragments were discovered under human remains. Another item found in the burial jar was an assortment of colored glass beads. The dagger blade measures 14 centimeters in length, and the finger-fitting hilt grip is composed of bone and organic material, likely wood, with alternating layers. These tiny holes, which might be used to attach accessories and even inlaid with the stated glass beads, make its ornamental, asymmetrical pommel end or hilt end stand out. Some believe that the pommel's design and carved features imply the shape of a boat.
On May 18, 2022, the dagger is now on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila, Philippines, as part of the museum's collection of other artifacts.[24]
Heritage Work
To facilitate several forms of public archaeology and heritage work in the duration of the field season in the Napa site, crew members were oriented to always explain the significance of the archaeological project, at a community level and at larger scale of Philippine culture, to the community members and walk-in groups observing the excavation. The team also held day trips for student coming from different schools like San Isidro National High School - Catanauan, Tayuman National High School, Busdak National High School and ASTI College, mostly coming from near cities and/or provinces. In addition, they updated the tarpaulin signage at the Locality 1 site, Napa site, that explains the study of archaeology and highlights of the findings so far.
The team also actively participated in the fiesta celebrations of Tuhian. As part of the celebration, the team is given a chance to explain to the public community what the project is all about. At the end of the season, the team mounted and left a three-panel exhibit of the results from the first season of excavation (2008). The exhibit explained what archaeology is, the findings and result of the project, and its significance to Philippine history and heritage. They made the exhibit movable so they can move it due to events and gatherings in the barangay.
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