Prehistoric Thailand
Encyclopedia
Prehistoric Thailand may be traced back as far as 1,000,000 years ago from the fossils and stone tools found in northern and western Thailand, an archaeological site
in Lampang
, northern Thailand. Homo erectus
fossils, Lampang Man, dating back to between 1,000,000 – 500,000 years, have been discovered. Stone tool
s have been widely found in Kanchanaburi
, Ubon Ratchathani
, Nakhon Si Thammarat
, Lopburi
etc. Many prehistoric cave-paintings
have also been found in these regions, dating back 10,000 years.
About 1,000,000 years ago, Homo erectus moved on to Asia from Africa, where it had originated. Its use and control of fire was very important tool in its hunter-gatherer
method of subsistence. Homo erectus's skull was smaller and thicker than that of modern human beings. It lived in the mouth of caves near streams or other water supplies. Its main natural enemies included the giant hyena
Hyaena senesis, the sabre-toothed tiger, the orang-utan, and the giant panda
.
In 1999, skull fragments of Homo erectus were found by Somsak Pramankit in Ko Kha
, Lampang. It was comparable to the skull fossils of Sangiran II Man found in Java
, (Java man
), which is 400,000 - 800,000 years old, as well as Peking Man
.
of Lampang Man. However, modern genetic
research can support this hypothesis. A recent study undertaken by geneticist showed that there was no inter-breeding between modern human immigrants to Southeast Asia and Homo erectus, affirming that the Thai descended from Africans in accordance with the Recent single-origin hypothesis.
or "New" Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology that is traditionally the last part of the Stone Age. The Neolithic era follows the terminal Holocene
Epipalaeolithic periods, beginning with the rise of farming, which produced the "Neolithic Revolution
" and ending when metal tools became widespread in the Copper Age
(chalcolithic) or Bronze Age
or developing directly into the Iron Age
, depending on geographical region.
, Kanchanaburi
, Nakhon Ratchasima
, Ubon Ratchathani
and about 9000 BC. People pioneered wild cereal use, which then evolved into true farming.
Early Neolithic farming was limited to a narrow range of crops, both wild and domesticated, which included betel, bean, pea, nut, pepper, cucumber and domesticated cattle and pigs. The establishment of permanently or seasonally inhabited settlements, and the use of pottery.
In Southeast Asia, the independent domestication events led to their own regionally-distinctive Neolithic cultures which arose completely independent of those in other parts of the world.
Spirit Cave is an archaeological site in Pang Mapha district
, Mae Hong Son Province
, north-western Thailand. It was occupied from 9000 till 5500 BC by Hoabinhian
hunter-gatherers from North Vietnam
. The site is located at an elevation of 650 m. above sea level on a hillside overlooking the Salween River.
Wang Bhodi is an archaeological site in Saiyok district
, Kanchanaburi Province
, western Thailand. Dating from 4500 to 3000 BC. Since World War II
, many stone tools have been found in the caves and along the rivers in this region.
Ban Chiang
is an archaeological site located in Nong Han district
, Udon Thani Province
, Thailand.
The dating of the artefacts
using the thermoluminescence
technique resulted in 4420 - 3400 BC. dates.
The oldest grave
s found contain no bronze and are therefore from a Neolithic culture, the most recent ones are from the Iron Age.
was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking consisted of techniques for smelting copper
and tin
from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast
bronze
. There are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC.
In Ban Chiang
, bronze artifacts
have been discovered dating to 2100 BC. The earliest grave was about 2100 BC, the most recent about AD 200. The evidence of crucible
s and bronze fragments have been found in this area. The bronze objects include ornaments, spearheads, axes and adzes, hooks, blades, and little bells.
was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent. People made tools from bronze before they figured out how to make them from iron because iron's melting point is higher than that of bronze or its components. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in some past societies, often including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles, although this was not always the case.
Archaeological site
s in Thailand, such as None Nok Tha, Lopburi Artillery center, Ong Ba Cave and Ban Don Ta Phet show iron implements in the period between 3,400 - 1,700 years ago
None Nok Tha is an archaeological site in Phu Wiang district
, Khon Kaen Province
, northeastern Thailand. Dating from 1420 till 50 BC.
Lopburi Artillery center is an archaeological site in Mueang district, Lopburi Province
, northeastern Thailand. Dating from 1225 till 700 BC.
Ong Ba Cave is an archaeological site in Sri Sawat district
, Kanchanaburi Province
, western Thailand. Dating from 310 till 150 BC.
Ban Don Ta Phet is an archaeological site in Phanom Thuan district
, Kanchanaburi Province
, western Thailand. Dating from 24 BC till 276 AD. Many artifacts found in a 4th century cemetery provide evidence of trade relations with India
, Vietnam
and the Philippines
.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in Lampang
Lampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
, northern Thailand. Homo erectus
Homo erectus
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
fossils, Lampang Man, dating back to between 1,000,000 – 500,000 years, have been discovered. Stone tool
Stone tool
A stone tool is, in the most general sense, any tool made either partially or entirely out of stone. Although stone tool-dependent societies and cultures still exist today, most stone tools are associated with prehistoric, particularly Stone Age cultures that have become extinct...
s have been widely found in Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ) is a town in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327...
, Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani is a city on the Mun River in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand. It is known as Ubon for short. The name means "Royal Lotus City." The provincial seal features a pond with a lotus flower and leaves in a circular frame. Ubon is the administrative centre of Ubon...
, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and the Nakhon Si Thammarat district. It is about south of Bangkok, on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The city was the administrative center of southern Thailand during most of its history. ...
, Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
etc. Many prehistoric cave-paintings
Cave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
have also been found in these regions, dating back 10,000 years.
Early Stone Age
The Lower Palaeolithic is the earliest subdivision of the Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age. It spans the time from around 2.5 million years ago, when the first craft and use of stone tools by hominids appears in the archaeological record, until around 120,000 years ago when important evolutionary and technological changes ushered in the Middle Palaeolithic.Early species
The earliest hominids, known as Homo erectus and recognisable as human, appear in the archaeological between 1,000,000 - 500,000 years ago. Locally typified by the fossil, Lampang Man.About 1,000,000 years ago, Homo erectus moved on to Asia from Africa, where it had originated. Its use and control of fire was very important tool in its hunter-gatherer
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
method of subsistence. Homo erectus's skull was smaller and thicker than that of modern human beings. It lived in the mouth of caves near streams or other water supplies. Its main natural enemies included the giant hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
Hyaena senesis, the sabre-toothed tiger, the orang-utan, and the giant panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
.
In 1999, skull fragments of Homo erectus were found by Somsak Pramankit in Ko Kha
Amphoe Ko Kha
Ko Kha is a district in the central part of Lampang Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are : Sop Prap, Soem Ngam, Hang Chat, Mueang Lampang, Mae Tha of Lampang Province.-Administration:...
, Lampang. It was comparable to the skull fossils of Sangiran II Man found in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, (Java man
Java Man
Java Man is the name given to fossils discovered in 1891 at Trinil - Ngawi Regency on the banks of the Solo River in East Java, Indonesia, one of the first known specimens of Homo erectus...
), which is 400,000 - 800,000 years old, as well as Peking Man
Peking Man
Peking Man , Homo erectus pekinensis, is an example of Homo erectus. A group of fossil specimens was discovered in 1923-27 during excavations at Zhoukoudian near Beijing , China...
.
Relation to modern Thai people
Nobody asserts that modern Thais are descendantsKinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
of Lampang Man. However, modern genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
research can support this hypothesis. A recent study undertaken by geneticist showed that there was no inter-breeding between modern human immigrants to Southeast Asia and Homo erectus, affirming that the Thai descended from Africans in accordance with the Recent single-origin hypothesis.
New Stone Age
The NeolithicNeolithic
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...
or "New" Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology that is traditionally the last part of the Stone Age. The Neolithic era follows the terminal Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
Epipalaeolithic periods, beginning with the rise of farming, which produced the "Neolithic Revolution
Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution was the first agricultural revolution. It was the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settlement. Archaeological data indicates that various forms of plants and animal domestication evolved independently in 6 separate locations worldwide circa...
" and ending when metal tools became widespread in the Copper Age
Copper Age
The Chalcolithic |stone]]") period or Copper Age, also known as the Eneolithic/Æneolithic , is a phase of the Bronze Age in which the addition of tin to copper to form bronze during smelting remained yet unknown by the metallurgists of the times...
(chalcolithic) or 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...
or developing directly into the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, depending on geographical region.
Domestication
Neolithic culture appeared in many parts of Thailand, Mae Hong SonMae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son ) is a town in north west Thailand, capital of the Mae Hong Son Province. It is located in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the river Pai...
, Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ) is a town in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327...
, Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima or is a city in the north-east of Thailand and gateway to Isan. It is the capital of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima district...
, Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani is a city on the Mun River in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand. It is known as Ubon for short. The name means "Royal Lotus City." The provincial seal features a pond with a lotus flower and leaves in a circular frame. Ubon is the administrative centre of Ubon...
and about 9000 BC. People pioneered wild cereal use, which then evolved into true farming.
Early Neolithic farming was limited to a narrow range of crops, both wild and domesticated, which included betel, bean, pea, nut, pepper, cucumber and domesticated cattle and pigs. The establishment of permanently or seasonally inhabited settlements, and the use of pottery.
In Southeast Asia, the independent domestication events led to their own regionally-distinctive Neolithic cultures which arose completely independent of those in other parts of the world.
Neolithic settlements in Thailand
- Spirit Cave
Spirit Cave is an archaeological site in Pang Mapha district
Amphoe Pang Mapha
Pang Mapha is the northernmost district of Mae Hong Son Province, northern Thailand.-Etymology:In the Shan language, Mapha or Makpha means lime and Pang means hill, so a translation into English might be Lime Hill....
, Mae Hong Son Province
Mae Hong Son Province
Most of the areas of Mae Hong Son Province are complex mountain ranges and likely still pristine virgin forest. Of the approximately 6,976,650 rai of national forest reserves, 88.02% is thought to be pristine virgin forest...
, north-western Thailand. It was occupied from 9000 till 5500 BC by Hoabinhian
Hoabinhian
The term Hoabinhian was first used by French archaeologists working in Northern Vietnam to describe Holocene period archaeological assemblages excavated from rock shelters. It has become a common term in the English based literature to describe stone artifact assemblages in Southeast Asia that...
hunter-gatherers from North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. The site is located at an elevation of 650 m. above sea level on a hillside overlooking the Salween River.
- Wang Bhodi
Wang Bhodi is an archaeological site in Saiyok district
Amphoe Sai Yok
Sai Yok ) is a district in the Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand.- Geography :The district is located in the valley of the Khwae Noi river. It borders to Myanmar to the south. Along the river the Death Railway runs till Nam Tok. The Sai Yok National Park was created on October 27, 1980...
, Kanchanaburi Province
Kanchanaburi Province
- History :Archaeology found in Kanchanaburi dates back to the 4th century which proves of trade with surrounding countries even in that time. Very little is also historically known about the actual Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi but there is evidence of their occupation with Prasat Muang Singh –...
, western Thailand. Dating from 4500 to 3000 BC. Since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many stone tools have been found in the caves and along the rivers in this region.
- Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang is an archeological site located in Nong Han district, Udon Thani Province, Thailand. It has been on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1992....
is an archaeological site located in Nong Han district
Amphoe Nong Han
Nong Han is a district of Udon Thani Province, northeastern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Chai Wan, Ku Kaeo, Prachaksinlapakhom, Mueang Udon Thani, Phibun Rak and Thung Fon of Udon Thani Province, and Sawang Daen Din of Sakon Nakhon Province.-History:The archaeological site of...
, Udon Thani Province
Udon Thani Province
Udon Thani is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nong Khai, Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Nong Bua Lamphu and Loei.- Geography :...
, Thailand.
The dating of the artefacts
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"...
using the thermoluminescence
Thermoluminescence
Thermoluminescence is a form of luminescence that is exhibited by certain crystalline materials, such as some minerals, when previously absorbed energy from electromagnetic radiation or other ionizing radiation is re-emitted as light upon heating of the material...
technique resulted in 4420 - 3400 BC. dates.
The oldest grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
s found contain no bronze and are therefore from a Neolithic culture, the most recent ones are from the Iron Age.
2,500 years ago: Bronze Age
Copper and Bronze Age
The Bronze AgeBronze 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...
was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking consisted of techniques for smelting copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
. There are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC.
The Bronze Age settlements in Thailand
- Ban Chiang
In Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang is an archeological site located in Nong Han district, Udon Thani Province, Thailand. It has been on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1992....
, bronze 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"...
have been discovered dating to 2100 BC. The earliest grave was about 2100 BC, the most recent about AD 200. The evidence of crucible
Crucible
A crucible is a container used for metal, glass, and pigment production as well as a number of modern laboratory processes, which can withstand temperatures high enough to melt or otherwise alter its contents...
s and bronze fragments have been found in this area. The bronze objects include ornaments, spearheads, axes and adzes, hooks, blades, and little bells.
1,700 years ago: Iron Age
The Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent. People made tools from bronze before they figured out how to make them from iron because iron's melting point is higher than that of bronze or its components. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in some past societies, often including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles, although this was not always the case.
Archaeological site
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
s in Thailand, such as None Nok Tha, Lopburi Artillery center, Ong Ba Cave and Ban Don Ta Phet show iron implements in the period between 3,400 - 1,700 years ago
The Iron Age settlements in Thailand
- None Nok Tha
None Nok Tha is an archaeological site in Phu Wiang district
Amphoe Phu Wiang
Phu Wiang is a district in the northwestern part of Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Ubolratana, Nong Ruea, Chum Phae, Wiang Kao, Nong Na Kham of Khon Kaen Province and Non Sang of Nongbua Lamphu Province.A prehistoric Iron Age archaeological site,...
, Khon Kaen Province
Khon Kaen Province
-History:The first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing tighter connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its modern...
, northeastern Thailand. Dating from 1420 till 50 BC.
- Lopburi Artillery center
Lopburi Artillery center is an archaeological site in Mueang district, Lopburi Province
Lopburi Province
Lop Buri is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchabun, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Nakhon Sawan.-Geography:...
, northeastern Thailand. Dating from 1225 till 700 BC.
- Ong Ba Cave
Ong Ba Cave is an archaeological site in Sri Sawat district
Amphoe Si Sawat
Si Sawat is a district in the Kanchanaburi Province in western Thailand.- Geography :Neighboring districts are Ban Rai of Uthai Thani Province, Dan Chang of Suphanburi Province, Nong Prue, Bo Phloi, Kanchanaburi, Sai Yok and Thong Pha Phum of Kanchanburi Province.The district is dominated by the...
, Kanchanaburi Province
Kanchanaburi Province
- History :Archaeology found in Kanchanaburi dates back to the 4th century which proves of trade with surrounding countries even in that time. Very little is also historically known about the actual Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi but there is evidence of their occupation with Prasat Muang Singh –...
, western Thailand. Dating from 310 till 150 BC.
- Ban Don Ta Phet
Ban Don Ta Phet is an archaeological site in Phanom Thuan district
Amphoe Phanom Thuan
Phanom Thuan is a district in the eastern part of Kanchanaburi Province, central Thailand.-History:The area of Phanom Thuan was already occupied in prehistoric times...
, Kanchanaburi Province
Kanchanaburi Province
- History :Archaeology found in Kanchanaburi dates back to the 4th century which proves of trade with surrounding countries even in that time. Very little is also historically known about the actual Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi but there is evidence of their occupation with Prasat Muang Singh –...
, western Thailand. Dating from 24 BC till 276 AD. Many artifacts found in a 4th century cemetery provide evidence of trade relations with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
External links
- This Ancient Land of Dinosaurs, Siamoid, Siamese, and Thais; English and Thai