The Philippines, like other Southeast Asian countries, is an archipelagic body and thus, generally tangent to the natural resources found in the waters. Many of the decorative parts and tools they have, as well as their culture, seem to reflect these maritime characteristics. Tools such as shell-made helicopters and decorative pieces such as shell beads are common in South East Asian archaeological records because of these characteristics. According to Hughes, unlike glass beads, the trade of shell beads usually occurs from the shoreline toward the interior of the mainland. Shellfish beads in the Philippines are generally intact or cut. Various sites have been found containing shell beads, including Sucgang Barrio in Bohol; Sibale Island, near Surigao; Pulau Suluan, south of Samar; Lagen Island in Palawan; and the Camotes Islands.
Various studies have been done on these shell beads. The study of methods of cutting, use, location and whether these are taken intact or damaged separately is used as a characteristic to define these shell beads. It should also be noted that the shell beads have different characteristics throughout the Philippine archipelago. Research shows that most of the shell beads found on the site are actually cut beads. This suggests that there is a significant development of techniques and methods for being able to design these shell beads, as modifications after the cutting process will be very difficult. Francis discusses in his study of the Philippine bead shell collections, that the beads may have existed since the End Neolithic period and were subsequently replaced by glass and other inorganic beads from about 200 BC to 1200 CE.
Video Prehistoric beads in the Philippines
Southeast Asian Bean Trading
Glover and Henderson put the date of trading of glass beads in Southeast Asia by at least 400 BC. Alastair Lamb states that the most common type of bead for around that time is the Indo-Pacific beads. According to Francis, the beads could be named "The Pacific Panorama Indo Pacific Retractable Monochrome". These Indo-Pacific beads can be found happening everywhere in Southeast Asia. In addition to this, there can be found at that time, Chinese beads (which are generally traded either by non-Han Chinese, other Southeast Asia, or West depending on the time period), Muslim beads, Javan beads, and beads - aish of India. Instructions for the nature of bead trade in Southeast Asia can be found on the Pandanan Ship Stool, placing the history of the invention here until about the 15th century. This can be seen from shipwreck tradeware from Vietnam, Thailand and China is being circulated to other Southeast Asian countries. Early trading centers like the Mas River in Malaysia give us clues about where the beading trade comes from or where they are developing. In fact, research by Cayron points out the fact that the beads found in the shipwreck of the Pandanan ship are actually from the Mas River. Trading routes are generally taken inland to avoid pirates and thus, loot their cargo. Sarkar discusses eleven major trade routes of Wheatley: "Three Pagodas between Moulmein and Tavoy, and three Cedis routes, Tenasserim River route in Burma, Kra Isthmus route, Takuapa River route in Thailand, Trang River in Thailand, Kedah-Patani route, Perak- Farmers, Kelantan-Malacca route through Panarik in Malaysia, Pahang-Malacca route through Panarik, Sembrong route, and Bernam-Pahang route. "
Maps Prehistoric beads in the Philippines
Archaeological finds in the Philippines
Ille Cave
The Ille site can be found at El Nido in Palawan along with other cave complexes. According to SzabÃÆ'³, the characteristics of shell beads found on the site are that they are all intact beads and belong to the following species of molluscs: Annulus Cypraea, Strombus canarium, Strombus luhuanus, Nassarius arcularius, Nassarius globosus, Nassarius albescens, Nassarius pullus, Pictocolumbella ocellata, and Pyrene scripta. Along with these beads there are larger decorative pieces. The other modified shell dà ©  © is a microscopic shell bead that is much more uniform than the two previous types.
Ille Cave Shell bead analysis
From the beads in Ille, these are the two main types, the organic and inorganic types. From organic beads, the majority of them are whole, Neolithic type beads. The formation of these beads is characteristically formed by percussion and grinding. From organic shell beads, a small fraction of them are shell beads that are cut and not all the same as microscoped shell beads; the beads that do not feature the use of technologically advanced techniques are Tridacna shells that are rolled into barrel shapes. Shell beads of microperforated dots are generally less than 2 mm in diameter, and thus appear to require a great deal of effort and technique to produce; this can thus be said to belong to the Metal Age.
The microperforated cropped shell beads were studied to be formed in the following way. The empty bead is first formed from a raw shell followed by a perforation by using a drill with what is proposed to be an arc or a pump drill. Empty then attached to string and certain appliquà © added to complete shell beads.
What these last shell beads say is that there is indeed a high level technique at the time these shell beads are made. A specially developed set of tools, a specific process and a very short plan is needed to shape these beads. The choice of raw material itself will require extensive knowledge and experience because not all shells can undergo different modifications without breaking. The process of coloration with the addition of appliquà © also shows us that the methodology for producing such beads is well developed and ingenious.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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