Archaeometallurgical Analysis of Metal Artifacts from Calumat Open Site, Alubijid, Misamis Oriental

Christian Joy B. Rodil

Most archaeologically recovered iron artifacts in Philippine sites are usually found in a very poor state and in an advanced state of corrosion primarily due to high level of humidity. Observation of metal artifacts discovered in Philippine archaeological sites can generally be viewed as a prestige symbol and is typically linked with graves, serving as an identifier for an individual. This paper aims to analyse five metal artifacts recovered during the 2019 field school excavation of the University of the Philippines- School of Archaeology (then UP-Archaeological Studies Program) at the Calumat Open Site in Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, located in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The study will utilize non-destructive techniques such as X-radiography and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) to identify the morphological and chemical composition of the artifacts, respectively. Through this, the study aims to detail the artifacts’ form, features, function, and possible technological process it underwent. Significantly, one of the artifacts recovered was a metal blade, which was associated with human burial and celadon artifact dated between 774 and 1030 AD. Understanding the metal blade’s morphology can give an idea of how the artifact was utilized before it was discarded as a grave good, which may provide a glimpse into the lifeways of the people of Northern Mindanao during the period.