Balanghai Shrine (Butuan)

 museum, boat

Site of One of the Nine Wooden Boats dugged sometime in the 70s,
excavated in the area which predates European boat construction. These boats were constructed using a very ancient technique. Carbon-14 dates of 320 AD, AD 990 and AD 1250 were obtained from samples taken from parts of the three excavated boats.

The Balangay (referring to the smallest political unit in Philippine society whose organization is similar to what existed in the boat), as the Butuan boats were called were constructed using the edge-pegged, plank-built technique. The planks were secured using dowels or wooden pegs. They were round bottomed and were propelled by sail and steered by a rudder. These characteristics are similar to other Southeast Asian boats.

So far, nine (9) balangays have been documented to exist. The National Museum excavated three of these boats while the rest are still waterlogged in specific sites in Butuan City until such time that personnel and finances permit their scientific excavation and conservation.