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The prehistory of Manila covers the Pleistocene epoch along with the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Metal ages. It also includes the age of contact with other countries like China, and ends at the period of the Kingdom of Maynila.

Manila is the present-day capital of the Philippines and is the second largest city in the country. It is situated at 14. 5833˚ N, 120.9667 ˚ E. It belongs to the list of cities worldwide with the highest population density of 42,858 per square kilometer.

City named after the plant
The term “Maynila” was said to be coined after the Yamstick Mangrove (Scyphiphora hydrophylacea) or Nilad in local name. Nilad is a peculiar, stalky rice-like plant with flowers of bright white and yellow that was asid to be abundant in the ancient kingdom.

Delgado (1982) retold in his ‘Historia General’ that there are shrubs, pertaining to the Yamstick Mangrove, or Nilad, which were abundant in the banks of the river where the city (which was a kingdom before) was established. The city Maynilad, was said to be named after the plant, may which means ‘there is’ and Nilad, the plant (there is Nilad).

According to Philippine folklore, when the Walled City (popularly known as Intramuros) was newly built, this peculiar plant proliferated among the delta of Pasig River and Manila Bay. The Pasig River back then is clean enough that people were able to use it for daily activities. Local folks came to know the plant for its gentle swaying especially with its soft but long trunks when the wind blew from the bay. Folklore said that the arm-like figure of the plant seems to welcome or bid farewell from where it was rooted in the riverbank or at the seashore and visitors got to remember this place and also of the natives for this peculiarity.

Inhabitants and visitors were said to come to the riverbank to pick the flower. Nilad was made into garlands or laces that were offered to religious altars and soon became products distributed to other places.

As the story went on, two Spaniards came and asked where the flowers came from. The woman who was at loss of the place where exactly the flowers are located answered vaguely, ‘Sa may mga Nilad’ (where the Nilads are). The native as well as foreigners began addressing the place ‘Sa may Nilad’ since then. Soon, people, be it the natives, the conquerors or visitors, came to know the area as ‘Sa Maynila.’

There are some argument among historians as to whether the plant was actually called "nila" or "nilad." Historians Ambeth Ocampo and Carmen Guerrero Nakpil assert that nila is popularly referred to as nilad by people unfamiliar with the plant. On his Facebook page, Ocampo notes that "Some idiot added a 'd' to give us: Maynilad, Maharnilad, and Lagusnilad! In Fr. Blanco's Flora de Filipinas circa 1877 we find the ixora manila. There is no "d" after nila."

A number of early sources disagree, however, noting that the plant referred to as "nilad" is the Indigo plant (Indigoferra tinctoria), a different plant altogether. Emma Helen Blair, in the multi-volume collection of Philippine documents The Philippine Islands, notes "The name Manila is derived from a Tagal word, ' Manilad ', meaning 'a place overgrown with Nilad' which is the name of a small tree, bearing white flowers.

Julio Nakpil asserted that the dropping of the "d" at the end of the name was probably a mistake on the part of the Spaniards: "Maynilad seems to us reasonable for the following reason: the prefix 'may' means "to have" or "there is" (mayroon) ; and the prefix 'ma' means abundant (marami); and 'nilad' is a shrub, also called sagasa, growing profusely on the banks of Manila, and for that reason it was called Manilad before and after the coming of the Spaniards who, because of their defective pronunciation of our language, dropped the last letter, converting it into Manila."

City named after location
On the other hand, Alexander Salt suggested in his Introduction to the History of Manila that the city got its name from its location on the tongue of the land. He lay claim that Maynila is from the Tagalog phrase sa may dila (in the tongue) that mainly describes the location of the city in the tongue of the land mass.

Salt also cited in his work that Manila had been called the “Nuremberg of the East.” He clarified that may be it entirely correct or not, it is atleast ‘full of suggestions’ as “She (Manila) alone, amid the hurry the hurry of twentieth century civilization, and the characteristics of the Orient, sits serene in the medieval grandeur.” The history, as Salt expounded, had the walls, the buildings, the squares and the streets as its witnesses. He had seen the city as an expression of life and growth, not mere arbitrary counters of thought.

History
The prehistory of Manila is not only focused on how Manila came to being. Its history is a part of a bigger picture—of how the man in the Philippines and how this country come about. The prehistory of Manila will be better understood when one views it from a macro level.

Historical geology of Manila
Just like every other piece of land, the City of Manila started millions of years ago, even before it emerged by the Pasig River, as an integral part of the cataclysmic evolution3 in the development of the major geological framework of the Earth. Mainly, the causal relationship between Sierra Madre Range along the East coast of Luzon and the Central Valley in the middle of the mountain range and two other highlands, Zambales along the west and the highlands in the present provinces of Laguna, resulted to where the city stands now.

The Pasig River has been a factor that contributes to the ability of manila to sustain life and habitation. A large part of the Cavite area, which was part of the submarine ridge of the ancient Taal volcano became uplifted and raised within a differential displacement. This occurred near the Tagaytay ridge taking advantage of the southward projection of the Marikina fault line, and the crustal movements include areas as far as north as Paranaque. The zone of the said differential displacement is the site where the present Pasig River is situated.

The Pleistocene
With the formation of the Pasig River, Manila was said to be prepared for the coming of man. To have a better understanding of how the habitation and community started, one should take the macro level of understanding how humans have travelled and settled in the Philippines. During this period, the area where the City of Manila was situated was still inconclusive but this period is necessary for all events that happened contributed to the social and physical reality of the establishment and development of the city.

This period is known as ice age. The change in climate was felt worldwide, even at the equator. This ice age resulted to the lower water levels of rivers, lakes and oceans. The South China Sea water level went down to an estimate of 240 feet. Then the period of ice age was over and as polar ice began to retreat and glaciers began to melt, bodies of water began to fill. These fluctuations in water level due to the alternating climate resulted to the alternate exposing and covering of land bridges that connected land masses. These land bridges, when exposed made migration possible, since the technology of sailing was not elaborate (or even present at that time). Records show that ancient man did not only come to the Philippines for a temporary shelter during climatic change, but also, they began to settle down. The ancient man, not being a specialized form of being, made several adjustments to cope up with a new environment. Cultural artifacts showed evidences of adjustments as later social scientists found.

Speculations said that man possibly arrived as early as 250,000 years ago (arguable and not conclusive) which was based on the association of the earliest forms of artifacts of human and fossils of extinct animals, which were also considered not so direct.

Elephant and stegodon was believed to be roaming around the vicinities of Quezon City, and the rhinoceros in the area of the present-day Guadalupe. Water levels around this period was low, meaning portions of Manila bay just about Corregidor was exposed. It was only around the last glacial that the water level rise and the exposed area covered. The artifacts found showed that inhabitants were gradually moving towards the higher grounds.

The Paleolithic Age
The coastal outline of the Philippines before is far more different from what is today. In this period, in the latter part of the last glacial age, the first definite traces of man were found. The Manila bay was exposed during this time and the sealine would be located outside Corregidor. The Pasig River would be a cutting channel through the bay area, depositing sediments onto the coastal plain, gradually increasing the area of the delta. The last period of glacial age also entails the man to be defined as a tool making being. From merely tool users to toolmaker and user, man had been used to drafting, manufacturing and using what is available in the environment.

No signs of man have been discovered in the present area of manila that could date back into this period. Speculations state that evidences might have been buried underneath the silt and sediments of Manila bay and covered by the rising water during the last interglacial period. But on higher ground, implements were discovered by Dr. H. Otley Beyer around the Novaliches area, place that were not inundated by the rise of oscillation of sea and/or not disturbed by the infiltration of human habitation.

Along the eastern and northeastern edges of Manila, artifacts were discovered along with tektites. The same types of material were found on the area of the present-day New Manila. Towards the north of Manila, other tektites and Paleolithic tools were excavated in impressive quantities. Although none of these were found in Manila proper, these findings still indicates the intense human activity in a very early period.

Though there is a certainty that early humans could have ventured into the delta of Pasig River to search for food, there are still no traces of this appearance. In one or two instances, early man could have been in the area of Manila too. They could have settled for a short period or have lurked for the search of food.

The Neolithic Age
During this period, the last of the four glacial period had already ended. Land bridges were already covered with the rising water level. The islands in the Philippines became separated, more or less as they are now. The Manila bay shoreline went back to the foot of Guadalupe Tuff.

The technology of tool making is more evidently developed that before. There was consistency in the method of manufacture; tools were with more definitive form which was achieved through secondary retouching. Tools gained more permanence. Tools had a distinctive attribute of a more elongated form and the working edge was situated on one edge, and the body had shape that is more symmetrical.

In the vicinity of Manila, signs of the Neolithic life has been found but not in the area itself because it was still a developing delta which is not a desirable permanent habitation. In the higher areas, Dr. H. Otley Beyer has uncovered present city evidences of Neolithic culture. To name a few, stone adzes had been found in the old provincial building in the province of Rizal, in Pasig. There were also a few rare shouldered adzes dated 2000 years BC, together with ‘Luzon Ridged Adze’ in the river valley of San Juan, the upper Novaliches and Marilao valleys.

The concentration of artifacts discovered by Dr. Beyer might be an indication of habitation. In the present day San Francisco del Monte area, an extensive deposition of damaged polished adze were found with wornout flake tools mode of obsidian, or volcanic glass and tectites. In San Juan River area, Dr. Beyer recognized what could have been an ancient trading center, and perhaps small communities on both banks of the river and at the creek that entered the river at one point.

The Pasig River, which is connected to the bay of the Laguna area would have been an avenue for trade. Trade had been began developing even in a small scale.

Boats were also evidently began developing. Pottery was introduced.

Age of Metal
It is marked by the development of weaving and glass technology.

Settlements began to develop on lakeshores or seashores or wherever there is a body of water, since man became more mobile at the development of boats. Trade and commerce emerged from limited bartering groups. The range of trade became wider as more distant group became linked together by the development of boats as a means of transportation.

There are no archaeological findings in the area of Manila to represent this period as in the previous stages. The artifacts recorded were again, from the vicinities of the area.

It is positive that the Manila area was becoming the path for commerce with the inland communities to the southeast about the Laguna Lake area, and the high grounds to the north and northeast. With the increase of trade, settlements began to grow, becoming nucleated in form.

The Age of Contact
Manila deltaic plain had been, by this time, was more stabilized. The higher lands had compacted enough for habitations. The Pasig River which connects Laguna Lake with Manila bay would have been by now an integral part in the commerce and places for trade which became more extensive. The Chinese began to follow them and compete with the Arab trade in the Philippines.

The over-all effect of this trade and commerce was the restructuring of the country’s culture and society. The intermingling of these cultures may be supported by the first concrete evidence found by the National Museum (first archaeological excavations done by the museum). The archaeological findings in the Sta. Ana area gave a definitive data on the patterns of the way of life of the people about 12th century AD. Seventy eight graves had been uncovered in an ancient more along the old Lamayan road.

(Read on Sta. Ana archaeological excavations for more in-depth details)

Kingdom of Manila
The early inhabitants of the Kingdom of Maynila were engaged in trade relations with its Asian neighbors as well as with the Hindu empires of Java and Sumatra, as confirmed by archaeological findings. Trade ties between China became extensive by the 10th century, while contacts with Arab merchants reached its peak in the 12th century.

During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah (1485–1521) the Kingdom of Brunei decided to break the Kingdom of Tondo's monopoly in the Chinese trade by attacking Tondo and establishing the city-state of Seludong as a Bruneian satellite. This is narrated through Tausug and Malay royal histories, where the names Seludong, Saludong or Selurong are used to denote Manila prior to colonisation.

Other sources said that the crafty, old sultanate had its basis of creation as a result of both political intrigue and economic maneuvering prompted by a sultan of Borneo named Bolkiah. According to the story, Bolkiah was not able to bring about his objectives militarily. By then, he sought for a more devious approach on how to neutralize the Kingdom of Tondo’s stranglehold trade with China. He arranged a royal marriage between a Royal Prince of Brunei and High Princess of the ruling dynasty of Tondo. To deviate from a bloody approach, the Sultan had come up with this decision.

As a part of the Princess’s dowry, the ruler of Kingdom of Tondo agreed upon the establishment of a new city called Seludong (Srivijayan) located in the estuary of Pasig River and Manila Bay. It is soon regarded by the Sultan as a highly-prized ‘Bruneian’ satellite and for as long as the marriage still exist, and children and heirs were produced, it will remain in favor of Sultan Bolkiah’s interest, mostly economically-wise as that period believed as it is an perfect avenue for the Prince’s so-called ‘retinue’ to establish direct trading activites with Chinese who was anchored mainly on the delta.

The names ‘Seludong’, ‘Saludong’ or ‘Selurong’ are all interchangeably used to denote an area where the Kingdom of Maynila was later established prior to the arrival of Spanish colonizers in the Philippines in the 16th century.

Social organization
Morga (1961) reported that the concept of real property was already in use even before Spaniards came. The members of the single community have his own portion of land regarded as territorial limits of the community. How can one possess a land?

1. Individual acquires it himself 2. He purchased the land from a previous owner 3. Property is inherited 4. Land is donated

The mode of possession by acquiring it implies an open land where one could claim and take possession since the area would be free of liens and encumbrances. It would be used for habitation or cultivation. The use of forest lands, on the other hand, for agricultural purposes would be considering the accepted range of orbit each community had agreed upon.

The mode of possession by purchasing implies that the buyer of the land is a member of the community with increased resources and/or a non-member penetrating the community. The mode of possession through donation also falls under this category.

House structures
Houses were built in a more or less similar manner, the same way that the settlement were built beside rivers and streams. The house were generally built near rice fields and coconut groves and orchards. The houses can be defined by the type of economic activity and were set on posts raised above the ground. The rooms were small, and generally, with a single multipurpose room having only the cooking area differentiated among the areas in the houses. There is a particular architectural piece called ‘batalan’ usually situated on the rear part of the house and is utilized for various domestic work like washing, bathing, water storage, etc. The houses were made of raw material like wood and bamboo. Tree house or houses built on trunk of trees rooted to the grounds were seen as an advantageous position.

The doors of the houses were usually oriented to the direction where the sun rises and never faced towards the west, which can be explained by the values and belief systems these people have.

Religion
The early Tagalogs have a term ‘sambahan’ designated as a place for worship. The word may also denote a makeshift prayer structure built for special occasions as in the offering of animal sacrifices during curing séances or ‘pag-aanito.’

Their manner of offering sacrifices was to offer to the deities the animals for different reasons. It can be for a feast, thanksgiving or to ask for healing.

To what many refer to as Paganism, this offering may be lead or mediated by the officiating priest called ‘catalonan’ which varies in name for different dialects but still refers to the one and the same role. Bathala was the supreme being of the ancient Tagalog, to whom they address their worship and prayers aside from the deities.

Meanwhile, the penetration of the Islamic religious scheme may had been assimilated in the Southern Philippines but was not far more advanced in the Manila area before the coming of the Spaniards. If this was considered to be the case, one can tell that the social organization was in rudimentary form since structure of religion is conveyed by the political scheme.

Writing
The ancient Tagalogs had their own system of writing called babayin, which was a form of syllabification. No one has been exempted in the knowledge of reading and writing, even women. Writing was done on barks of wood or bamboo and characters were incised with a stylus. However, this form of writing is not meant for recording events or histories but for mere communication. This kind of writing persisted into the Spanish period where it was more developed.