ANCIENT CEMETERY SITE

ANCIENT CEMETERY SITE. This is the probable site of an ancient international ground burial cemetery in Biliran Island, at Sitio Ilawod, Barangay Caraycaray, Naval town. Workers from various nationalities (Spanish, Chinese, Negro, natives) who died during the galleon-building activities on Isla de Panamao from the 1580s to early 1600s were presumably buried here; also British deaths from the Cavendish Expedition who tried to attack the nearby shipyard in 1588. This area presumably also became the cemetery adjacent to the original poblacion of Biliran pueblo, founded in 1712, and later of the fledgling Naval pueblo, founded in 1860. Associated with the "bugkut" (disappearance through abduction by fairies) folklore and the "tampo" death ritual cooperative, traceable to the galleon-building years in the vicinity. - Prof. Rolando Borrinaga