Ancient communities in Isaan had social classes: study

[webfact]

ARCHAEOLOGY
Ancient communities in Isaan had social classes: study
Kasem Chanathinat
The Nation
Nakhon Ratchasima


Archaeologists have discovered ancient skeletons and items of interest in this excavation site, which is about 30 metres wide and 150 metres long, in Nakhon Ratchasima.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- An archaeological dig in the Northeast has found that prehistoric communities in Ban Non Chak had social classes, with many pieces of earthenware and ornaments clearly devoted to some ancient skeletons.

"If we study such information carefully, we will be able to understand Thai ancestors who lived in prehistoric times," Dr Nigel Chang, from Australia's James Cook University, revealed yesterday. He is a participant in the Ban Non Chak excavation.

The site is considered part of Ban Non Wat, a famous archaeological site in Nakhon Ratchasima province that is about 10 kilometres away. Ban Non Wat is near Phimai Historical Park.

According to Chang, a total of 80 human skeletons from prehistoric periods have been discovered in Ban Non Chak. Some were adults, some teenagers, some children and others infants. "The findings offer demographic information of people back then," he said.

Of the 80 skeletons, five had a higher number of ornaments and earthenware pieces than others. This indicated that ancient communities had social classes.

Ratchani Thosarat, an archaeologist from Thailand's Fine Arts Department, said available evidence suggested there had been ancient communities in Ban Non Chak from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age and to more recent eras.

"We have found evidence of Dvaravati and Ancient Khmer culture here," she pointed out.

Excavations in Ban Non Chak have been carried out under the supervision of Wilawan Watcharakiatisak, who heads a research project on how to develop a learning centre on prehistoric communities. She is the director of the Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University's Office of Arts and Culture.

"We hope to integrate relevant efforts together for the sustainable development of communities. The conservation of arts and cultures, research, teaching, learning and academic services can be integrated with a cultural paradigm," Wilawan said.

Warika Thongkha, the head of Nong Krua Chud Pattana village, said members of her village discovered ancient items while they were preparing land for mobile plantations.

"Because of their belief in superstition, none dared to sell those items. And when officials contacted them for assistance with the excavation, they were more than willing to cooperate." She said they now hoped Ban Non Chak would be developed into a cultural attraction that can generate income for local people.

The research project under Wilaiwan's supervision has received grants and support from the United Nations, EarthWatch, and the National Research Council of Thailand.

"We have also won cooperation from the Fine Arts Department," she said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-22

[impulse]

So many jokes...... Must resist.....

[noikrit]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

So many jokes...... Must resist.....

Yep !! ... Me too ....

[ShannonT]

Would be interesting to know what shirt colors they wore...

[jpinx]

"Pre-historic" ? Since the history only starts somewhere around 1,000 AD, one wonders how old the findings are.......

[impulse]

Would be interesting to know what shirt colors they wore...

Can we have one thread that doesn't get goat roped into political bickering?

Just one would be nice.

(Edit: My apologies for coming off like a Richard Head. Your post wasn't objectionable at all to me. It's what's going to happen the next 50 posts that irritates me.)

Edited February 22, 2014 by impulse

[BanTamo]

Richard Cranium would be proud, sah!

[visionchaser45]

That they found some ancient artifacts: that's cool. The conclusion that the people had social classes, however, is kind of silly. All social animals tend to develop social hierarchies, so this comes across as a "duh" conclusion. The artifacts might, however, teach us something about other, less obvious, insights into these ancient people and how they lived.

[GuyL]

Of the 80 skeletons, five had a higher number of ornaments and earthenware pieces than others. This indicated that ancient communities had social classes.

Or that 5 of them had farang sponsors.

(Sorry, can't resist.)

[cdmtdm]

what if they come across a guy dressed as elvis ? Darwin should have come to Thailand first before writing his Theory ...

[sirchai]

Hope they'll find Neanderthal man's wife there.

[sirchai]

what if they come across a guy dressed as elvis ? Darwin should have come to Thailand first before writing his Theory ...

Should they find a guy dressed like Elvis, the Pelvis, then he properly wasn't a good singer..

[khwaibah]

"Ancient communities in Isaan"

Have you seen the prehistoric fossils walking about the bus station and Soi Kola in Surin?