Rupestrine Art

By Jesus Peralta
Report by Eron Castellon
Sometimes the artistic mind conceives forms which are
beyond the realms of realistic representation by
submerging reality, or by edifying it with symbols.
-Jesus Peralta
The quote mentioned above was in reference to the idea that
forms rise to become a cultures language of symbols.
As defined by the Collins American English Dictionary, the
word rupestrine is an adjective which means growing on, or
living among rocks.
Among the many forms that we have that have turned into
symbols, one is the graphic representation of samples on
rock faces.
These representations could be:

Inscribed

Drawn

Printed

Stenciled

The reports of this art form in the different parts of the

Philippine archipelago has been quite irregular, moreover the
findings has been only arranged in chronological context by
association and not by dating since it has been proven
difficult.
One main issue with rock art is that, it emanates from some
aspect of social action related to a system of belief
associated with a particular society.

In addition, this art from is less for decoration and more for
symbolic purposes. Rock art can be admired as itself and is
not a chunk of a pragmatic object.
Why does rock art exist? The answer to the question can be
any or all of the aspects below as defined by ones respective
culture, it could be:
1. Religious
2. Economic
3. Physiological
4. Others
The earliest report of rock art discoveries could be found in
the Rizal Province, which today most people refer to as the
Angono Petroglyphs discovered by national artist for visual
arts Carlos Botong Francisco.
It was in 1965 that Botong found the rock shelter at the
boundary of the two towns Angono and Binangonan.
Details about the Rock Shelter:
o

It is a shallow cave

63 meters wide

8 meters deep

5 meters at its highest point

Rock wall exposed 2 igneous layers

Upper tuff layer

Lower with volcanic ash

Details about the rock art in the rock shelter:

o

It is a linear excision of animate figures on the

tuff layer of the rock

127 figures are discernable as integral

units, apart from the non-figurative
incisions

There were no reference to a baseline for

the incisions

There were no relationships in regard to

size and orientation of the different
figures, except in one isolated case.

Images were place in any available space

on the rock wall, and the only blank
spaces are the spots where the rock faces
are fractured.
When viewed as a whole the incisions are
on a relatively horizontal distribution 25
meters long and three meters deep.
o

70% of the images are in the

middle meter at the center of the
distribution

14% are in the upper meter above

the center

15% percent are in the lower meter

above the center

3. There are indications of variations in the figuration

style specifically on the different group drawings.
4. 51 of the 127 figures are distinct within the complex.
Each type of figure is represented by at least one figure and
a maximum of 8. There are also other visible drawings such
as triangles, rectangles, and circles.
The figures were either anthropomorphic or zoomorphic,
further details are as follows:
1. All were linear outlines with head, neck, and torso.
2. The appendages of the images are single lines
3. The manual and pedal digits are just three short lines.
4. Images are rendered symmetrically
5. All the images are of a static nature
The general representation of the images are as follows:
There is a rounded dome-like head usually without a
neck
The torso is V shaped with variations
Arms are flexed orant from the shoulder points
Legs are flexed from the terminus of the torso.

The erosion in some areas of the volcanic ash floor have

caused an uneven flooring that some of the petroglyphs are
head level only, and the ones at the end are about 4 meters
up the wall.

As mentioned earlier in the report, these representations are

not merely for the purpose of decoration.

The images were incised by engraving lines into the tuff wall
which is soft enough to be worked on by a harder piece of
stone.

According to Dr. Peralta, decorative art in Philippine

ethnography is well defined, repeated or mirrored and usually
presented formally in a specific and sequential manner.

1. The cuts vary from two centimeters to faint lines.

2. There are no signs of pigmentations or any efforts for
relief.

Also mentioned in the physical details of the petroglyphs is

that the images are made without relation to each other
especially in a sequential manner which supports the fact
that it is not made for the purpose of decoration. Excluding
an isolated case where the images are can only be related as
to how far space is concerned.
The 25 meter line of images gives off the impression that it is
a practice replicated and institutionalized through time for
individual reasons which therefore indicated that the
petroglyphs are proof of social practice which is also
supported by the following:

What clearly separates the human figures in the rock shelter

in Angono from the childish stick figures is the use of
abstraction. The uncanny resemblance with the other
petroglyphs from other countries might remain a mystery
forever.
Jesus Peralta states that it is quite difficult to place
petroglyphs within the chronology of the Philippines.
This is given proof by the different petroglyphs found in
different areas in the Philippines:

Alab, Mt. Province:

There are variations in the individual engravings, even

though they all follow the same template which implies a
social construct by the community. Sadly, as the community
is does no longer exist, the only way to understand the
possible explanation of the symbolisms is just the images.
What can we derive from the images?
I.

The first thing to consider is the reality of what is being

represented which are animate objects.

II.

There is only one kind of orientation for all the figures.

III.

There is also an indication of sexual dichotomy

IV.

There stands no image with facial characteristics.

There were no known drawings of a two dimensional human

figure until the discovery of the petroglyphs, although other
human images have been carved on the Manunggul Jar and
in earthenware during the metal age.
Unlike other kinetic looking figures found in other SEA
countries such as locations in Thailand, the images as
mentioned earlier in Angono are all static. There was no
evident attempt on what the images are trying to symbolize,
but is clearly something ritualistic.

1,470 meters above sea level near Bontoc

In huge boulders on the cliff are over 200

petroglyphs covering a two meter strip on
siltstone 11 meters by six meters.

The largest drawing measures 25 centimeters.

Made by a sharp metallic tool with a pick

like point.

The incisions are quite faint to a

maximum of five centimeter width.

Like the Angono images, they do not constitute a single work

of art but is meant to be considered as a whole. There is also
no distinct orientation of the various units except all are
facing a northerly direction. All are basically isosceles
triangles and are upside down.
Source:
Peralta, Jesus T. (n.a) Tinge of Red. Rupestrine Art.