An Examination of Anthropogenic Burning in Old Kiyyangan Village, Ifugao

Summary

The rapid expansion of the Old Kiyyangan Village (OKV) in Ifugao, Philippines was accompanied by population increase and a shift in crop production—from taro to wet-rice. Archaeological excavations at OKV have also uncovered larger-than-expected quantities of wood charcoal that likely represent burning episodes associated with this shift. Preliminary analysis of the distribution of wood charcoal indicates that specific locations within the OKV were for anthropogenic burning practices. Moreover, initial taxonomic identification of the charcoal includes one member of the Cordillera Pine species (Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon), possibly used as kindling. Currently, the forests surrounding the OKV do not sustain large populations of P. kesiya. Through the careful integration of ethnohistoric evidence of tree cutting and burning practices in Ifugao alongside the examination of charcoal recovered from OKV, this paper investigates the historical anthropogenic burning practices of the Ifugao and provides preliminary results from the paleoethnobotanical investigation of the OKV. Finally, the paper also illustrates how seemingly "inaccessible" or "remote" kinds of archaeological data such as wood charcoal can be used to illustrate cultural practices that have meaning both in the past and present.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Science of Organic Residue Analysis and the Art of Cultural Interpretation II   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15469