400-year-old ornaments found in Chiang Rai

BANGKOK, 9 July 2013 (NNT) –Over a hundred pieces of gold ornaments believed to be over 400 years old have been found in Chiang Rai Province. Officials at Chiang Saen National Museum believe the jewelries belonged to a royal family of the Lanna era.

According to a Chiang Saen National Museum official, the more than 100 pieces of gold ornaments recently found in Chiangrai could belong to one of the royal families or high ranking officials in the era of Lanna. The ornaments included necklaces, rings, bracelets, and hairpins; all were made of gold and precious stones. After a quick inspection, the official said the ornaments were in good condition.

The antique jewelries were discovered and given to the museum by the In-ta family who lives in Chiang Saen District of Chiang Rai. The ornaments will be listed as national treasures for everybody to appreciate, as they are over 400 years old and rich in history.

-- NNT 2013-07-09

There is a lot more but the person who in in Charge of that area does not trust the Chiang Saen National Museum Officials or officials from the Department of Antiquities.

There is a lot more but the person who in in Charge of that area does not trust the Chiang Saen National Museum Officials or officials from the Department of Antiquities.

Fact or assumption?

"they are over 400 years old and rich in history."

I would like to hear the history it might just have been a wealthy lady who liked jewelry.I would hardly call that a rich history.

What a great find!! It makes me feel closer to the past especially such a distance pass. The treasure itself is not for us to keep; it is the story of where it was found and who it belonged to that we can roll around in our imagination. The article does not finish the story.

Thought the thread title was discussing the expat community.

Found where? In the ground? Someone's home? Where?

400 years old would make it the early 1600s AD, possibly late 1500s, either way this is in the middle period of the Burmese occupation of LanNa.

Odds are it's a buried cache from the sacking of the 2nd Chiang Saen - the current Chiang Saen is the 3rd rebuild of a city of that name in the same general location.

It would be of extreme interest to know if it was found within the current (Kawila era) ruined city walls, or in one of the earlier cities' perimeters.

where found, and in what context (underground, in a compartment,...)? more details please. In a related note, I know of 2 dozen remnants of ancient kilns (estimated 300 to 500 years old), 3 km nw of Chiang Rai. They've never been investigated. There were at least used for bricks, but possibly (some) also used to smelt iron, as pieces of slag has been found on the same site, and iron-bearing rock is nearby. Anyone who would like to investigate this, contact me.