Maritime Connections and Colonial Transformations: Rethinking Networks of Exchange in the Philippines
摘要
This study examines Bombon, Camarines Sur, in comparison with Intramuros and the Old Kiyyangan Village (OKV), to track long-term interaction and community practice from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Ceramic distributions, stratigraphic sequences, and mortuary data from Bombon are analyzed alongside imported-ware datasets from Intramuros and OKV to identify differences in colonial engagement, exchange, and local decision making. Bombon shows a peak in imported ceramics in the late precolonial period, followed by reduced participation during the Spanish period, contrasting with Intramuros’ full integration into colonial exchange and OKV’s locally controlled expansion of trade during early Spanish intrusions. Mortuary evidence at Bombon indicates continuity in community practice across precolonial and colonial phases, with selective adoption of Christian forms. Using a Transitional Nodal Network Model, the study frames the three sites as nodes with distinct historical trajectories shaped by shifting political, economic, and religious contexts. The comparison highlights how communities across the Philippines navigated Spanish colonial structures through varying forms of incorporation, negotiation, and internal cohesion.