RESEARCH DATA:

Traditional hand-powered bow drills and pump drills have been used across various cultures to bore holes into different materials. These tools were invented in different parts of the world to serve the basic function of drilling. They were commonly used for making holes in objects such as shells and wood.
In the Luzon Cordillera, traditional drills were most likely used for carpentry and other tasks that involved drilling small holes in wood. This particular item, called sindag, from the collection is an example of a bow drill made of wood with a metal tip. A nylon rope is attached to a wooden stick and connected near the top of the drill’s shaft. The wooden stick acts as the “bow” that enables the tool to function. The two rectangular wooden plates near the drill point act as weights to help balance the drill during use.