History of the Philippines (900-1521)
| Geographical range | Southeast Asia |
|---|---|
| Period | Iron Age, High Middle Ages |
| Dates | c. 900–1521 |
| Major sites | Pangasinan, Ma-i, Tondo, Madja-as, Dapitan, Butuan, Cebu, Sulu, Maguindanao, Lanao, Limestone Tombs complex, Idjang citadels |
| Preceded by | Prehistory of the Philippines |
| Followed by | Colonial era |
This article covers the history of the Philippines from the creation of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription in 900 to the arrival of European explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, which marks the beginning of the Spanish Colonial period.
The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (LCI) is the first written document found in a Philippine language. The inscription itself identifies the date of its creation as the year 900. Prior to its discovery in 1989, the earliest record of the Philippine Islands corresponded with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. The discovery of the LCI thus extended the record of Philippine history back by 600 years. After 900, the early history of territories and nation-states prior to being present-day Philippines is known through archeological findings and records of contacts with other civilizations such as Song Dynasty and the Bruneian Empire.
In January 1990, the Laguna Copperplate, then just a thin piece of crumpled and blackened metal, was offered for sale to and was acquired by the National Museum of the Philippines after previous efforts to sell it to the world of antiques had been unsuccessful. On examination, it was found to measure about 20 cm square and to be fully covered on one side with an inscription in ten lines of finely written characters. Antoon Postma deciphered the text and discovered that it identified the date of its creation as the "Year of Sakya 822, month of Vaisakha." According to Jyotisha (Hindu astronomy), this corresponded with the year 900. Prior to the deciphering of the LCI, Philippine history was traditionally considered to begin at 1521, with the arrival of Magellan and his chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta. History could not be derived from pre-colonial records because such records typically did not survive: most of the writing was done on perishable bamboo or leaves. Furthermore, zealous Spanish Christian missionaries burnt whole libraries of documents considered pagan. Because the deciphering of the LCI made it out to be the earliest written record of the islands that would later become the Philippines, the LCI reset the traditional boundaries between Philippine history and prehistory, placing the demarcation line at least 600 years earlier.
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