The Wood That Matters: Wood Identification of the Precolonial Coffin Collection of the National Museum of the Philippines

Ivan B. Cultura1*, Camille Anne Valencia1, Jennifer Conda3, Michelle Arreana Cruz3, and Glenn Estudillo3

Finding well-preserved wooden artefacts in an archaeological context is uncommon due to the organic nature of the material. However, when the burial environment allows for natural preservation, these objects provide archaeologists with vital information for reconstructing past human lifeways. The precolonial wooden coffin collection of the National Museum of the Philippines includes several well-preserved log coffins dating from the 12th to the 14th century CE. These artefacts vary in size, shape and ornamentation, with many featuring stylised reptilian motifs. In a recent collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST- FPRDI), morphological analysis using light microscopy was utilised to identify the wood species used in their construction. Further verification is currently being conducted through DNA analysis of samples from eight specific coffins. This paper presents the preliminary results of the wood identification, providing significant insights into coffin burial practices in the Central Philippines.