via Proceeding of KAPI, 30 Dec 2023: The study at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas, by Abbang et al. aims to unravel the origins and significance of its material culture and human remains. Researchers are investigating the craftsmanship of liturgical objects, such as embossed metal plates and sculptures, potentially linked to artisans from Pampanga and Laguna. The usage of marble headstones, the presence of unmarked human remains, and the modification of the shrine’s landscape with reworked sediments are being examined to understand local practices and historical events like epidemics and natural hazards.
Situated near Taal Lake, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas is among the 17th-century Augustinian churches in the country. Associated structures or monuments, namely, the Balon de Santa Lucia and the Hagdan-hagdan, are also within the vicinity. The shrine complex has been declared a National Cultural Treasure and, unfortunately, was one of the heritage structures damaged by the Taal Volcano eruption in 2020. The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) initiated its restoration in 2021—with its team of researchers, architects, and engineers—and this has been an ongoing agency project as of 2022. The shrine complex plays a significant role in the lives of the Taaleños as well as believers of Our Lady of Caysasay from different places. It would be interesting to investigate how it shaped human beliefs, traditions, and practices based on material culture. Meanwhile, the significance of the entire site in deciphering what may have occurred in the advent of Christianity in the country may be another topic of potential study. This preliminary study will present the details of field activities conducted by the researchers of the Archaeology and Ethnology Divisions that include ocular inspections, documentation of material culture, monitoring of the excavations, and retrieval of human osteological remains encountered on- site. The research potential of the shrine complex will be explored following archaeological and anthropological principles.
