MAKATI CITY — The Ayala Museum successfully hosted its first-ever international conference on pre-colonial gold, “Ritual, Ornament, Currency: Gold in Early Asian Cultures,” on October 21 and 22, 2026. The two-day event brought together leading scholars from the Philippines and abroad to examine the deep historical and archaeological significance of gold across early Asian societies. It formed a key part of the country’s Museums and Galleries Month celebration. The gathering positioned Makati as a vital center for heritage scholarship and cultural tourism, drawing attention from academic and cultural circles across the region.
A Global Conversation Anchored in Makati
The conference opened at the Ayala Museum with a keynote address by Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo, who framed pre-colonial Philippine gold within a maritime world where seas connected cultures. On the second day, the dialogue moved to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, where Dr. Himanshu Prabha Ray traced ancient Indian Ocean trade routes linking Southeast Asia to broader networks. Speakers from institutions such as the Field Museum of Natural History, Cornell University, and the National Museum of the Philippines shared research across three themes: archaeological contexts, regional material traditions, and gold’s monetary history. The event drew a diverse audience of students, cultural workers, and jewelry designers, enriching every discussion.
Extending World-Class Scholarship to the Public
Following the main conference, the museum hosted a free public lecture titled “Gold and the Female Form” on October 23. The session featured Jamie Kelly of the Field Museum and Dr. Li Xiaolu of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, exploring sacred female imagery in early Asian metalwork. This free program ensured that the conference’s insights reached beyond academic circles and into the wider community. It also reinforced the museum’s commitment to making scholarly research accessible to tourists, families, and casual visitors exploring Makati’s cultural district.
A Cultural Legacy Rooted in the Surigao Treasure
The conference was anchored on the “Reuniting the Surigao Treasure” exhibition, which has welcomed over 68,000 visitors since opening in May 2024. The exhibition brings together 38 gold objects on loan from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas alongside approximately 1,000 pieces from the Ayala Museum’s permanent collection. This historic three-year loan, running until 2027, allows visitors to experience one of the most significant assemblies of pre-colonial gold in the country. For Makati, hosting both the exhibition and the conference reinforces its identity as a city where commerce and cultural preservation coexist, offering travelers a meaningful stop within the bustling business district.
