Cover ‘Pectoral’, Butuan, Agusan Del Norte, circa 10th to 13th century, gold, 37g, Ayala Museum Collection
‘Pectoral’, Butuan, Agusan Del Norte, circa 10th to 13th century, gold, 37g, Ayala Museum Collection
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Respected scholars from across the world gather at Ayala Museum to examine precolonial Philippine gold and regional material traditions this October 21 to 22
Ayala Museum hosts ‘Ritual, Ornament, Currency: Gold in Early Asian Cultures’, the first-ever international conference dedicated to examining precolonial Philippine gold. The two-day event will take place on October 21 and 22, across two venues: the Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Complex.
The conference is anchored on the three-year loan of historical gold objects from the BSP to the Ayala Museum for the ongoing exhibition, Reuniting the Surigao Treasure: From the Collections of Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (2024–2027). Since its opening on May 17, 2024, the exhibition has recorded over 68,000 visitors. It features 38 gold items loaned from the BSP alongside approximately 1,000 pieces from the permanent collection of the Ayala Museum.
Above ‘Kinnari’, Surigao, circa 10th to 13th century, gold, 178.7g, Ayala Museum Collection
‘Kinnari’, Surigao, circa 10th to 13th century, gold, 178.7g, Ayala Museum Collection
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Among the artefacts displayed in the exhibition are a 10th-to-13th-century gold kinnari weighing over 170g, an almost 40g gold pectoral from Butuan, Agusan Del Norte, and a pair of 10th-to-13th-century gold bangles set with garnet and glass from Surigao del Sur. The display also features a Hindu upavita, or sacred thread, belonging to the Ayala Museum, which has been reunited with its pronged finial from the BSP. According to organisers, these gathered objects provide insight into the artistic traditions, social hierarchies, and economic practices of the precolonial Philippines.
Exhibition curator Florina Capistrano-Baker, PhD, is the convenor for the conference. The sessions are divided into three primary themes: the archaeological, cultural, and historical contexts of precolonial Philippine gold; related regional material traditions; and the monetary history of gold in the country.
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Above A Hindu upavita, or sacred thread (Ayala Museum collection) reunited with its pronged finial (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas collection)
A Hindu upavita, or sacred thread (Ayala Museum collection) reunited with its pronged finial (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas collection)
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“This conference is both an invitation and a challenge to young researchers to delve into the rich history of pre-colonial Philippine gold, a subject that touches archaeology, history, geopolitics, and trade,” Capistrano-Baker said. “We hope it sparks new interest in this field of study, for a new generation of scholars to carry it forward.”
The conference gathers Filipino and international scholars specialising in archaeology, art history, and material culture. Day one commences at the Ayala Museum, featuring a keynote address by Ambeth Ocampo, PhD, who is a senior professor of History at the Ateneo de Manila University. Adriana Proser, PhD, from The Walters Art Museum will present evidence regarding Chinese metalworking influences on precolonial Philippine gold. Li Xiaolu, PhD, of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts will discuss the development of Southeast Asian aesthetics, covering pottery, gold, and porcelain.
On October 22, the event will shift to the BSP Complex. Himanshu Prabha Ray, PhD, a Tagore National Fellow at India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, will deliver a keynote address focusing on the Indian Ocean trade. Subsequent sessions will cover the Surigao gold mines and track the movement of gold from the mines to the treasury. The second day will conclude with a tour of Museo BSP and the official launch of the publication Bahandi: The Surigao Treasure and Related Finds.
Above Guests observe ancient gold artefacts and jewellery from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas collection at Ayala Museum
Guests observe ancient gold artefacts and jewellery from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas collection at Ayala Museum
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Jorell Legaspi, senior director for arts and culture of Ayala Foundation, highlighted the broader goals of the event. “Through the Reuniting the Surigao Treasure exhibition, generations of Filipinos have had the chance to come face to face with these extraordinary objects, a vivid reminder of the richness of our pre-colonial past, and of what that history reveals about who we are as a people,” Legaspi stated. “This gold conference takes the conversation one step further, gathering a distinguished panel of international speakers to discuss the significance of Philippine gold in maritime trade and regional connections, proving the world-class calibre of Philippine craftsmanship.”
Onsite attendees receive two-day access to the conference, admission to all Ayala Museum exhibitions until October 25, lunch and snacks on both dates, a conference welcome kit, a certificate of participation, and a 10 per cent discount on selected Museum Shop items. Virtual participants are granted two-day online access alongside admission to the museum exhibitions until October 25.
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Franz writes about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright. But above all this, this Aether main spends more time in Teyvat than anywhere else.
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