The Ifugao Archaeological Project (IAP) began as an effort to understand the development of the Ifugao Rice Terraces within the broader story of Philippine and Southeast Asian history. What started as a dissertation project tracing the origins of these highland agricultural systems has since evolved into a long-term, community-engaged research program examining how humans shape – and are shaped by – their environments.
Early IAP excavations focused on establishing the chronology of the terraces and the settlement history of Ifugao. Radiocarbon dating, archaeobotanical analyses, and ethnohistorical research demonstrated that the famous terraces were constructed much later than previously assumed, emerging alongside intensified Spanish colonial activity in the lowlands around the seventeenth century. This finding transformed the narrative: the terraces were not relics of an ancient past but a strategic response to colonial intrusion, evidence of Indigenous adaptability and innovation.
Early IAP excavations focused on establishing the chronology of the terraces and the settlement history of Ifugao. Radiocarbon dating, archaeobotanical analyses, and ethnohistorical research demonstrated that the famous terraces were constructed much later than previously assumed, emerging alongside intensified Spanish colonial activity in the lowlands around the seventeenth century. This finding transformed the narrative: the terraces were not relics of an ancient past but a strategic response to colonial intrusion, evidence of Indigenous adaptability and innovation.
Subsequent phases of research have expanded this scope to investigate the interplay of landscape, subsistence, and social organization in the Cordillera highlands. Collaborations with Indigenous communities and local institutions have deepened understanding of the relationship between agricultural intensification, ritual practice, and political change. The IAP’s multi-scalar approach – combining archaeological survey, paleoethnobotany, GIS, ethnography, and historical analysis – has made Ifugao one of the best-documented highland landscapes in Southeast Asia.
Today, the project’s focus extends beyond historical questions to address urgent issues of climate adaptation and sustainability. The Ifugao Rice Terraces, while emblematic of human ingenuity, are also highly vulnerable to climate variability, changing labor patterns, and economic shifts. Current IAP research investigates how traditional knowledge systems, land-use practices, and social institutions can inform modern strategies for managing water, soil, and biodiversity.
Today, the project’s focus extends beyond historical questions to address urgent issues of climate adaptation and sustainability. The Ifugao Rice Terraces, while emblematic of human ingenuity, are also highly vulnerable to climate variability, changing labor patterns, and economic shifts. Current IAP research investigates how traditional knowledge systems, land-use practices, and social institutions can inform modern strategies for managing water, soil, and biodiversity.
Through this lens, IAP situates Ifugao within global conversations on heritage and climate change, emphasizing that cultural landscapes are not static monuments but dynamic systems of adaptation. The project’s collaborative model – linking archaeology with environmental science, education, and policy – seeks to create pathways for both heritage preservation and sustainable development.
The IAP’s evolving research agenda reflects a central question: How do communities maintain cultural continuity and environmental stewardship amid transformation? The answers drawn from Ifugao’s history continue to inform broader discussions on resilience, equity, and the future of Indigenous landscapes in a changing climate.
The IAP’s evolving research agenda reflects a central question: How do communities maintain cultural continuity and environmental stewardship amid transformation? The answers drawn from Ifugao’s history continue to inform broader discussions on resilience, equity, and the future of Indigenous landscapes in a changing climate.
BANGAAN, IFUGAO (JULY 5, 2015)
Methods and Approaches
The Ifugao Archaeological Project (IAP) integrates archaeology, ethnography, and environmental science to understand how Indigenous communities transformed their landscapes and continue to adapt to changing social and ecological conditions. Our work combines scientific rigor with community collaboration, ensuring that research outcomes are meaningful both to academic audiences and to the people of Ifugao.
Archaeological Investigations
Archaeological fieldwork forms the foundation of the IAP. Excavations in Old Kiyyangan Village, Batad, Banaue, and surrounding sites have revealed shifting settlement patterns, subsistence practices, and political organization over the past four centuries. Stratigraphic excavation, radiocarbon dating, and artifact analysis have been essential for constructing a robust chronology of terrace construction and village development.
Paleoethnobotany and Environmental Reconstruction
Through the recovery and identification of charred plant remains, the IAP reconstructs agricultural transitions and environmental change. Paleoethnobotanical analyses provide evidence for the introduction and intensification of wet-rice cultivation and the persistence of traditional crops such as taro, pigeon pea, and root vegetables. This work offers insights into long-term food security and adaptation strategies under colonial and contemporary pressures.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Landscape Analysis
GIS and remote sensing technologies enable the mapping of terrace systems, irrigation networks, and settlement patterns across rugged terrain. These spatial datasets help visualize how Ifugao farmers engineered and maintained their landscapes through cooperative labor and environmental knowledge. By integrating archaeological and ethnographic data, GIS analysis also supports conservation planning and climate modeling for the rice terraces.
Ethnohistorical and Ethnographic Research
Historical documents and oral histories provide critical context for interpreting material evidence. Ethnohistorical research links Spanish colonial records with Indigenous narratives, while ethnographic work documents living traditions of terrace maintenance, ritual, and social organization. Engaging directly with Ifugao farmers and cultural bearers ensures that local perspectives shape research design and interpretation.
Integrative and Transdisciplinary Framework
The IAP operates within a transdisciplinary framework that bridges archaeology, ecology, and social science. By integrating multiple lines of evidence—from microbotanical residues to oral histories—the project contributes to a broader understanding of how communities manage risk, sustain productivity, and adapt to environmental change.
Archaeological Investigations
Archaeological fieldwork forms the foundation of the IAP. Excavations in Old Kiyyangan Village, Batad, Banaue, and surrounding sites have revealed shifting settlement patterns, subsistence practices, and political organization over the past four centuries. Stratigraphic excavation, radiocarbon dating, and artifact analysis have been essential for constructing a robust chronology of terrace construction and village development.
Paleoethnobotany and Environmental Reconstruction
Through the recovery and identification of charred plant remains, the IAP reconstructs agricultural transitions and environmental change. Paleoethnobotanical analyses provide evidence for the introduction and intensification of wet-rice cultivation and the persistence of traditional crops such as taro, pigeon pea, and root vegetables. This work offers insights into long-term food security and adaptation strategies under colonial and contemporary pressures.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Landscape Analysis
GIS and remote sensing technologies enable the mapping of terrace systems, irrigation networks, and settlement patterns across rugged terrain. These spatial datasets help visualize how Ifugao farmers engineered and maintained their landscapes through cooperative labor and environmental knowledge. By integrating archaeological and ethnographic data, GIS analysis also supports conservation planning and climate modeling for the rice terraces.
Ethnohistorical and Ethnographic Research
Historical documents and oral histories provide critical context for interpreting material evidence. Ethnohistorical research links Spanish colonial records with Indigenous narratives, while ethnographic work documents living traditions of terrace maintenance, ritual, and social organization. Engaging directly with Ifugao farmers and cultural bearers ensures that local perspectives shape research design and interpretation.
Integrative and Transdisciplinary Framework
The IAP operates within a transdisciplinary framework that bridges archaeology, ecology, and social science. By integrating multiple lines of evidence—from microbotanical residues to oral histories—the project contributes to a broader understanding of how communities manage risk, sustain productivity, and adapt to environmental change.
Community Engagement
The Ifugao Archaeological Project (IAP) is grounded in collaboration with the people of Ifugao. From its beginnings, the project has worked with community members, educators, and local leaders to ensure that archaeological research responds to local priorities in heritage conservation, education, and development. The IAP recognizes that the Ifugao are partners, collaborators, and stewards of their own cultural and environmental legacy.
Partnership and Co-Creation
The IAP is built on strong relationships with local government units, Indigenous leaders, teachers, and cultural organizations, particularly the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO). Through these partnerships, research goals, field activities, and heritage programs are developed collaboratively so that community perspectives guide every stage of the project.
This approach has produced shared initiatives such as site management planning, participatory mapping, oral history documentation, and the co-curation of museum exhibits. The IAP promotes mutual learning, where archaeologists and community members exchange expertise in areas ranging from laboratory methods to Indigenous ecological knowledge and customary land management.
Heritage Conservation and Education
Ifugao’s rice terraces are living heritage that embodies ritual, ecology, and social organization. However, modernization, migration, and climate change are transforming both the terraces and the knowledge systems that sustain them. The IAP responds by supporting community-based programs that strengthen heritage awareness and conservation practices among local youth and educators.
Working with schools and universities in Ifugao, the project has developed heritage education modules that bring archaeological insights into classrooms. Exhibits and public lectures, often hosted at the Ifugao Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) Center in Kiangan, have made archaeology more accessible and relevant to everyday life. These initiatives emphasize that heritage conservation involves both protecting sites and maintaining cultural knowledge.
Capacity Building and Training
A central goal of the IAP is to build local capacity in heritage research and management. Local students, teachers, and staff have been trained in excavation, documentation, GIS mapping, and artifact conservation. These skills allow community members to take an active role in managing their heritage and engaging in wider policy and tourism discussions.
The project also provides field and research opportunities for students from Philippine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). Through workshops, internships, and field schools, participants gain both technical expertise and a grounding in ethical, community-centered approaches to archaeology.
Museums, Exhibits, and Public Archaeology
The IAP has helped establish community museums that serve as repositories of collective memory and spaces for learning. The IPED Center regularly host exhibits, educational events, and heritage workshops co-organized by the IAP and local partners. These museums demonstrate that archaeology can be a living part of community life and that research results can be shared through creative and inclusive public engagement.
Sustaining Collaboration
As the Ifugao landscape experiences environmental and economic change, the IAP continues to align its engagement work with emerging community needs. Current activities connect archaeological research with climate adaptation, sustainable tourism, and livelihood initiatives. The project supports inclusive heritage management where decision-making and benefits are shared among stakeholders.
Ongoing partnerships with institutions such as Ifugao State University (IFSU), Partido State University (ParSU) and SITMO ensure that the project remains locally relevant. By embedding archaeology within community life, the IAP demonstrates that long-term collaboration can support both cultural continuity and local development.
A Model for Engaged Archaeology
The IAP represents an approach to archaeology that is engaged, ethical, and community-based. Its long-term presence in Ifugao has shown that archaeological work can illuminate the past while also strengthening communities in the present. Each excavation, training, and collaborative activity affirms the idea that cultural heritage endures when it is valued and cared for by the people who live it every day.
Partnership and Co-Creation
The IAP is built on strong relationships with local government units, Indigenous leaders, teachers, and cultural organizations, particularly the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMO). Through these partnerships, research goals, field activities, and heritage programs are developed collaboratively so that community perspectives guide every stage of the project.
This approach has produced shared initiatives such as site management planning, participatory mapping, oral history documentation, and the co-curation of museum exhibits. The IAP promotes mutual learning, where archaeologists and community members exchange expertise in areas ranging from laboratory methods to Indigenous ecological knowledge and customary land management.
Heritage Conservation and Education
Ifugao’s rice terraces are living heritage that embodies ritual, ecology, and social organization. However, modernization, migration, and climate change are transforming both the terraces and the knowledge systems that sustain them. The IAP responds by supporting community-based programs that strengthen heritage awareness and conservation practices among local youth and educators.
Working with schools and universities in Ifugao, the project has developed heritage education modules that bring archaeological insights into classrooms. Exhibits and public lectures, often hosted at the Ifugao Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) Center in Kiangan, have made archaeology more accessible and relevant to everyday life. These initiatives emphasize that heritage conservation involves both protecting sites and maintaining cultural knowledge.
Capacity Building and Training
A central goal of the IAP is to build local capacity in heritage research and management. Local students, teachers, and staff have been trained in excavation, documentation, GIS mapping, and artifact conservation. These skills allow community members to take an active role in managing their heritage and engaging in wider policy and tourism discussions.
The project also provides field and research opportunities for students from Philippine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). Through workshops, internships, and field schools, participants gain both technical expertise and a grounding in ethical, community-centered approaches to archaeology.
Museums, Exhibits, and Public Archaeology
The IAP has helped establish community museums that serve as repositories of collective memory and spaces for learning. The IPED Center regularly host exhibits, educational events, and heritage workshops co-organized by the IAP and local partners. These museums demonstrate that archaeology can be a living part of community life and that research results can be shared through creative and inclusive public engagement.
Sustaining Collaboration
As the Ifugao landscape experiences environmental and economic change, the IAP continues to align its engagement work with emerging community needs. Current activities connect archaeological research with climate adaptation, sustainable tourism, and livelihood initiatives. The project supports inclusive heritage management where decision-making and benefits are shared among stakeholders.
Ongoing partnerships with institutions such as Ifugao State University (IFSU), Partido State University (ParSU) and SITMO ensure that the project remains locally relevant. By embedding archaeology within community life, the IAP demonstrates that long-term collaboration can support both cultural continuity and local development.
A Model for Engaged Archaeology
The IAP represents an approach to archaeology that is engaged, ethical, and community-based. Its long-term presence in Ifugao has shown that archaeological work can illuminate the past while also strengthening communities in the present. Each excavation, training, and collaborative activity affirms the idea that cultural heritage endures when it is valued and cared for by the people who live it every day.
Training and Field Schools
The Ifugao Archaeological Project (IAP) provides hands-on training in archaeological and heritage research for students, professionals, and community members. Since its early field seasons, the project has served as a venue for learning, exchange, and collaboration among participants from the Philippines and abroad. Each field season combines archaeological fieldwork with cultural immersion, promoting both technical proficiency and a deeper understanding of Indigenous heritage.
Field Training in Archaeology
The IAP field school introduces participants to archaeological methods in survey, excavation, documentation, and artifact analysis. Training emphasizes the importance of research design, sampling strategies, recording techniques, and laboratory processing. Participants work alongside experienced archaeologists, Ifugao community members, and heritage professionals, learning to integrate scientific methods with local perspectives and values.
Students are exposed to the entire archaeological process, from field mapping to post-excavation analysis. The program encourages critical thinking about how archaeological data are interpreted, presented, and applied to heritage management and education. This approach highlights that field training is not only about technical skill but also about understanding the social and ethical responsibilities of conducting research in living cultural landscapes.
Collaborative and Inclusive Learning
The IAP’s training model is collaborative and inclusive. Local students, teachers, and volunteers participate in every aspect of field and laboratory work, creating opportunities for skill sharing and mentorship. Participants learn from one another in an environment that values community knowledge as much as formal academic expertise.
Training sessions have included workshops on archaeological field techniques, ethnographic documentation, cultural mapping, GIS, and artifact conservation. The IAP also provides heritage interpretation and education training for local teachers and guides, supporting the development of community-based tourism and museum programs.
Partnerships with Philippine and International Institutions
The IAP’s training activities are supported by partnerships with Philippine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), including Ifugao State University, Partido State University, Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology, Sorsogon State University, Pangasinan Polytechnic College, and Mindanao State University–General Santos. These collaborations expand research opportunities for students and faculty while strengthening academic networks across the Philippines.
Internationally, the IAP has welcomed participants from institutions in the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The project’s training model has also informed regional initiatives such as the Cambodia Closure Initiative and the Southeast Asian Archaeology Laboratory (SEAALAB) at UCLA, which promote capacity building and collaboration across borders.
Integrating Heritage, Environment, and Community
Field schools are designed to go beyond excavation by connecting archaeological research to environmental and heritage issues. Participants engage with local farmers, artisans, and cultural practitioners to understand how traditional knowledge and landscape management continue to shape the Ifugao region. These interactions encourage reflection on how archaeology can contribute to sustainable heritage and climate adaptation programs.
Building the Next Generation of Researchers
Many former IAP participants have gone on to pursue graduate studies, lead heritage projects, or teach in their home institutions. Through mentorship and continued collaboration, the project supports emerging scholars who share a commitment to ethical and community-oriented research.
The IAP’s training and field schools continue to embody its core mission: to develop a research community that values respect, reciprocity, and relevance. By combining academic rigor with local engagement, the program ensures that the study of the past contributes meaningfully to the future of heritage in Ifugao and beyond.
Field Training in Archaeology
The IAP field school introduces participants to archaeological methods in survey, excavation, documentation, and artifact analysis. Training emphasizes the importance of research design, sampling strategies, recording techniques, and laboratory processing. Participants work alongside experienced archaeologists, Ifugao community members, and heritage professionals, learning to integrate scientific methods with local perspectives and values.
Students are exposed to the entire archaeological process, from field mapping to post-excavation analysis. The program encourages critical thinking about how archaeological data are interpreted, presented, and applied to heritage management and education. This approach highlights that field training is not only about technical skill but also about understanding the social and ethical responsibilities of conducting research in living cultural landscapes.
Collaborative and Inclusive Learning
The IAP’s training model is collaborative and inclusive. Local students, teachers, and volunteers participate in every aspect of field and laboratory work, creating opportunities for skill sharing and mentorship. Participants learn from one another in an environment that values community knowledge as much as formal academic expertise.
Training sessions have included workshops on archaeological field techniques, ethnographic documentation, cultural mapping, GIS, and artifact conservation. The IAP also provides heritage interpretation and education training for local teachers and guides, supporting the development of community-based tourism and museum programs.
Partnerships with Philippine and International Institutions
The IAP’s training activities are supported by partnerships with Philippine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), including Ifugao State University, Partido State University, Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology, Sorsogon State University, Pangasinan Polytechnic College, and Mindanao State University–General Santos. These collaborations expand research opportunities for students and faculty while strengthening academic networks across the Philippines.
Internationally, the IAP has welcomed participants from institutions in the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The project’s training model has also informed regional initiatives such as the Cambodia Closure Initiative and the Southeast Asian Archaeology Laboratory (SEAALAB) at UCLA, which promote capacity building and collaboration across borders.
Integrating Heritage, Environment, and Community
Field schools are designed to go beyond excavation by connecting archaeological research to environmental and heritage issues. Participants engage with local farmers, artisans, and cultural practitioners to understand how traditional knowledge and landscape management continue to shape the Ifugao region. These interactions encourage reflection on how archaeology can contribute to sustainable heritage and climate adaptation programs.
Building the Next Generation of Researchers
Many former IAP participants have gone on to pursue graduate studies, lead heritage projects, or teach in their home institutions. Through mentorship and continued collaboration, the project supports emerging scholars who share a commitment to ethical and community-oriented research.
The IAP’s training and field schools continue to embody its core mission: to develop a research community that values respect, reciprocity, and relevance. By combining academic rigor with local engagement, the program ensures that the study of the past contributes meaningfully to the future of heritage in Ifugao and beyond.
