Long-distance trade and the development of complex societies in the prehistory of the central Philippines: The Cebu central settlement case. (Volumes I-III).

Abstract

This research was organized to construct a model for causal relationships between long distance trade and the development of complex societies during late prehistoric times in the Philippines; and to evaluate that model through the analysis of archaeological data recovered from several excavations in Cebu City, the Philippines. The model for this research is concerned particularly with the interrelationships between the enlargement of information-processing capacity (channel capacity) and the development of socio-cultural complexity. In order to examine the validity of the model, a field research, including geological, archaeological, and ethnohistorical studies, was organized. The geological analysis indicates that a intensive exploitation of the hinterland areas around the Cebu settlement occurred during the late prehistoric period (the mid-14th to the 17th century), which caused heavy soil erosion. I infer that the area around the settlement was not appropriate for any types of agricultural activities, and thus the entire settlement might have been the residential unit for non-producers (decision-makers and their surrogates and servants). The population of the Cebu settlement continuously increased during the late prehistoric period. The analyses of artifact assemblages as well as natural remains indicate that, except for glazed ceramics, glazed ceramics are the only resources to which Cebu community members had significantly differential access. Ethnohistorical studies indicate that those glazed ceramics were used by administrators to serve food to guests. In doing so, they manipulated people by creating debts, and obligating them to work and produce goods, especially foodstuffs, for them. I conclude that the Cebu regulatory unit consisted of several socio-political sections which were established on the patronage units between masters and dependents, and each section maintained an independent decision-making line. The enlargement of channel capacity for the Cebu regulatory unit was achieved by adding more sections to the regulatory unit. This mechanism provided the Cebu socio-cultural system with much flexibility for coping with uncertainty associated with long distance trade during the period in question.