Ban Non Wat
Encyclopedia
Ban Non Wat is a village in central Thailand
, in the Non Sung district
, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
, located near the small city of Phimai
. It has been the subject of recent (2002-present) excavation of what are thought to be late neolithic
and early bronze age
burials. The village is thought to have been consistently inhabited for at least four thousand years.
The excavations have been run by Charles Higham
, now by Dr. Nigel Chang and are partially funded by the Earthwatch institute, and are considered by some to be amongst the richest archaeological digs under current excavation. The discovery of a superburial
on the site has yielded a wealth of artifacts
, especially grave goods
, and is a source of continued interest.
The rice fields surrounding the village, although yet to be exhaustively studied, are thought to have been irrigated thousands of years ago, and preliminary dating
has supported this theory.
Many of the artifacts recovered have suggested an ongoing link with the Khmer
culture, unsurprising given the site's proximity to one end of the Ancient Khmer Highway
, at the Phimai Historical Park
. Much of the earlier Bronze Age technology is thought to have come from trade routes from southern China
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, in the Non Sung district
Amphoe Non Sung
Non Sung is a district in the central part of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand.-Etymology:The old name of the district was Klang...
, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima or , often shortened to Korat or Khorat , is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand...
, located near the small city of Phimai
Phimai
Phimai is a township in the Nakhon Ratchasima Province in the northeast of Thailand. The town is located at . As of 2005 the town has a population of 9,768...
. It has been the subject of recent (2002-present) excavation of what are thought to be late neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and early bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
burials. The village is thought to have been consistently inhabited for at least four thousand years.
The excavations have been run by Charles Higham
Charles Higham (archaeologist)
Charles Higham is a British archaeologist most noted for his work in Southeast Asia. Among his noted contributions to archaeology are his work about the Angkor civilization in Cambodia, and his current work at Ban Non Wat...
, now by Dr. Nigel Chang and are partially funded by the Earthwatch institute, and are considered by some to be amongst the richest archaeological digs under current excavation. The discovery of a superburial
Superburial
A superburial is similar to a mass grave, but is a term typically used by archaeologists to denote an area of dense burial activity without the negative connotations often associated with mass graves...
on the site has yielded a wealth of artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
, especially grave goods
Grave goods
Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are the items buried along with the body.They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the afterlife or offerings to the gods. Grave goods are a type of votive deposit...
, and is a source of continued interest.
The rice fields surrounding the village, although yet to be exhaustively studied, are thought to have been irrigated thousands of years ago, and preliminary dating
Relative dating
Relative dating is the science determining the relative order of past events, without necessarily determining their absolute age.In geology rock or superficial deposits, fossils and lithologies can be used to correlate one stratigraphic column with another...
has supported this theory.
Many of the artifacts recovered have suggested an ongoing link with the Khmer
Khmer people
Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia...
culture, unsurprising given the site's proximity to one end of the Ancient Khmer Highway
Ancient Khmer Highway
The Ancient Khmer Highway was a 225 km roadway going northwest between Angkor and Phimai . While it was not the only such road built by the Khmer, it was the most important one....
, at the Phimai Historical Park
Phimai historical park
The Phimai historical park protects one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand. It is located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province....
. Much of the earlier Bronze Age technology is thought to have come from trade routes from southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.