glittering evidence

Here is a shining, and literally so, presentation produced by the Probe Team, a local video documentary show, entitled Gintong Pamana (Golden Heritage) about the discovery of excellent gold artifacts and jewelries dating from 10th to 13th century in Surigao, Mindanao island, in what could be one of the most important, tangible heritage not just of this country, which for decades had been groping in the dark as to the legacies of pre-colonial history, but in Asia as well that could rewrite history like never before.

This may also be the a glittering evidence mentioned from my previous blog, of spices and empires, that indeed this nation was once a place renowned in the ancient times for its unusual abundance of gold mentioned from the account of ancient Greeks (known as Chryse, the Golden One), Indians (Suvarnadvipa, Islands of Gold), Chinese (Chin-chou , Isle of Gold, Lusung Dao or "Luzon daw"), and even in biblical account to the court of King Solomon (Ophir)!

Even the Spanish historian who sailed with Magellan's expedition, Pigafetta, exclaimed that gold in the islands were so abundant that just a simple dig could produce gold nuggets the size of walnuts. The sudden disappearance of such treasures upon the arrival of colonizers were enigmatic, but the discovery of the Surigao gold artifacts provided clue that unlike ancient mainstream practices, the natives of these islands buried their gold even when the owners were yet alive (and in connection with previous discussions, sought the aid of their anitos or Elemental deities for safeguarding of such treasures from vile agendas, a practice that mainstream "modern" paradigms exacerbated by bigotry may not comprehend as to the reality it once held in the lives of these ancient, prosperous ancestors).

The whole documentary is generally presented in the local language, Tagalog. Even for foreigners who may not understand the tongue, witnessing the sheer excellence, intricate craftsmanship, priceless historical value, almost ethereal quality of the ancient golden artifacts may still leave anybody speechless.



Here is the link to the whole documentary:

GINTONG PAMANA (Part 1 OF 8)