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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-25/laguna-capitol-building.avif" alt="Laguna Provincial Capitol Building" loading="lazy" />
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(Laguna Provincial Capitol Building, late 19th century or early 20th century)
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<h3>
Pre-Hispanic Era: The Dawn of Civilization
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The history of Laguna dates back to at least 900 CE, as evidenced by the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/730/reading-the-laguna-copperplate-inscription" class="news_link">Laguna Copperplate Inscription</a>, the oldest known written document in the Philippines. Discovered in Lumban, this artifact records the release of a debt to the King of Tondo, indicating early trade and political systems in the region. The name of the town Pila, derived from pilapil (mounds of dirt forming rice paddy boundaries), suggests agricultural activity in prehistoric times. A prominent figure during this period was Gat Pangil, a native chieftain whose domain reportedly included the towns of Bay, Pangil, and Pakil, though historical accounts of his identity vary. The fertile lands and river systems around Laguna de Bay supported thriving communities engaged in fishing, farming, and trade with foreign merchants, particularly from China, as archaeological finds of celadon and qingbai pottery in Pila indicate.
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The History of Laguna Province, Philippines