[9] The Manunggul Jar shows that the Filipinos' maritime culture is paramount that it reflected its ancestors' religious beliefs.

The fine lines and intricate designs of the Manunggul Jar reflect the artistry of early Filipinos.

[10] The upper part of the Manunggul jar, as well as the cover, is carved with curvilinear scroll designs (reminiscent of waves on the sea) which are painted with hematite.

[6] Early Filipinos believed that a man is composed of a body, a life force called ginhawa, and a kaluluwa.

[11] This explains why the design of the cover of the Manunggul Jar features three faces - the soul, the boatman, and the boat itself.

On the faces of the figures and on the prow of the boat are eyes and mouth[8] rendered in the same style as other artifacts of Southeast Asia of that period.

The manner in which the hands of the front figure are folded across the chest is a widespread practice in the Philippines when arranging the corpse.

[12] The lid of the Manunggul Jar provides a clear example of a cultural link between the archeological past and the ethnographic present.