Mountains and Sea: Case Studies in Coastal, Riverine, and Upland Archaeology of Ilocos Sur by Michael Armand P. Canilao

This book is a preliminary attempt to present a history of Ilocos Sur through the lens of historical archaeology. The raw archaeological data analyzed in this book was the product of two seasons of archaeological surveys and excavations conducted in 2011 and 2012 through the support of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur (PGIS). Interesting data about Ilocos history has been unearthed after these field seasons. Such would be of immense interest for scholars of history and archaeology, chiefdoms, early historical and contact period archaeology, mortuary analysis, ancient maritime traditions, etc. The regional survey conducted through the Ilocos Sur Archaeology Project (ISAP) accounts for the three main geographic locales of Ilocos Sur, namely: mountain interiors, coastal plains, and connecting the two, the Gran Abra river. Huge swaths of Ilocos Sur are geographically within the rugged Cordillera mountain range. This backbone of Luzon in fact dips abruptly towards the West Philippine Sea, forming a spectacular feature—the Banauang Gap, a stunning display of mountains and sea.