The Boxer Codex’s Visayan and Luzon Ritual Specialists

Record summary

The illustrated Boxer Codex contains late-sixteenth-century descriptions and images of peoples in the Philippines and neighboring regions, including references to religious specialists, divination, offerings, clothing, and spirit-related practices. It is a major comparative source for studying how early Spanish-era observers represented babaylan-like figures and indigenous ritual life. The manuscript’s authorship, linguistic mediation, and intended audience are not fully straightforward. Its images and prose should be checked against contemporary Philippine archaeology, local terminology, and other colonial records.