Documentation, Condition Assessment, and Conservation Plan for the Mummified Human Remains, Associated Material Culture, and Internment Sites in Kabayan, Benguet, Philippines

Marites P. Tauro1*, Francisco A. Datar2, Marian P. De Leon3, Erika Grace C. Robis1, Mariah Camille T. Calanno1, and Marian Reyes-Magloyuan1

The mummified human remains of Kabayan in Benguet, are among those declared as National Cultural Treasures (NCTs) under Presidential Decree No. (P.D.) 260 in 1973. The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has been mandated by the state, to carry out research and to manage the site for purposes of education, protection, and conservation through the issuance of two Presidential Decrees and four Republic Acts from 1973 to 2019. Based on available documentation, the Kabayan Mummies are one of the few known cases of intentional mummification in the world. The remains provide insights into the cultural practices, knowledge and belief systems of the Ibaloi, concerning the human body, their physical environment, and their concepts of conservation and preservation. Reports from 1968 to 2001 have recommended carrying out a systematic inventory and documentation of the remains and sites, and conducting conservation activities to delay the deterioration of the mummies and their associated material culture. From 2001 to 2014, conservation activities have been conducted at irregular intervals and an assessment in 2014 recommended the setting up of a system to establish a baseline data to effectively monitor preservation state changes and taxonomically identify the microbial population that were being treated by the conservation team. The paper will present the results of the documentation and condition assessment of the team from 2014 to 2019, as well as the recommended appropriate, practical, sustainable, and culturally relevant conservation management plan for the remains, sites, and their associated materials, in consultation with the community.