These three volumes, along with the forthcoming Volume 2D, the catalogue of metal and metal-relat... more These three volumes, along with the forthcoming Volume 2D, the catalogue of metal and metal-related finds, present the results of a thorough, detailed study of the metals recovered during archaeological investigations in 1974 and 1975 at the village of Ban Chiang and three smaller sites in the northern part of northeast Thailand. At a time when little was known of Southeast Asian prehistory, the finding of very elaborately painted earthenware pottery vessels, probably prehistoric, at Ban Chiang stirred the interest not only of archaeologists, but also, unfortunately, from the standpoint of scientific investigation of the past, that of looters, dealers, and collectors of antiquarian art. In order to recover a sample of these vessels in their original depositional context, the Thailand Fine Arts Department and the University of Pennsylvania undertook one of the largest excavations of a prehistoric site carried out in Southeast Asia at the time. What subsequently caused added excitemen...
conducted survey and excavation of sites in the vicinity of the town of Phimai in northeast Thail... more conducted survey and excavation of sites in the vicinity of the town of Phimai in northeast Thailand. Phimai formerly served as a regional Khmer sacred, administrative, and commerical center from about A.D. 1000 to 1300. Archaeological and historical evidence indicated that Phimai might have been an important center before its integration into the Khmer state. The approach taken in the research was regional, investigating the development of Phimai as a major center by focusing upon the towns that formed alternative or minor centers and upon the villages and farms that constituted the hinterland for Phimai and supported its development. The primary focus of the investigations was on the fortified or moated sites, sites surrounded with earth walls and moats, first identified on aerial photographs by Peter Williams-Hunt (1950). The goals of the research included the location, mapping, and dating of the moated sites in the Phimai region and determination of the function, date of construction, and present condition of the earthworks at these sites. Two hypotheses were proposed for testing: (1) the concentration of population into these moated sites was associated with the practice of intensive wet rice agriculture, and (2) these sites were centers for long-distance exchange. In a previous paper, Welch (1983) presented preliminary results based primarily on in-the-field analysis of the data. A later paper (Welch 1984) provided a more thorough analysis of the site survey data and their implications in terms of settlement, subsistence, and political organization during the late prehistoric period in the Phimai region. The present paper furnishes detailed information on the excavations conducted at two sites, Ban Tamyae and Non Ban Kham. In particular, this paper
Archaeological research at the Yarang complex of moated sites in Pattani demonstrates that this w... more Archaeological research at the Yarang complex of moated sites in Pattani demonstrates that this was an early historic Buddhist ceremonial centre and a later Islamic fortification, but probably not the early trade centre called Langkasuka. At Kerisik archaeological evidence supports the identification of this complex as the location of the fifteenth-eighteenth century trading port city of Patani.
Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, 1997
... The route also served internal trade networks. Given the location of many Khmer pottery kiln ... more ... The route also served internal trade networks. Given the location of many Khmer pottery kiln sites, the road probably served as a major route for the distribution of Khmer stoneware pottery both toward Angkor and to-ward Phimai. ...
Based on archaeological evidence from the Phimai region and elsewhere in Northeast Thailand, late... more Based on archaeological evidence from the Phimai region and elsewhere in Northeast Thailand, late prehistoric exchange patterns, focused on local and regional centres of redistribution and perhaps markets, formed the foundation of the Khmer temple and market centred economy. Early regional exchange networks and the Khmer economic system into which they evolved were adaptive responses to the unpredictability of a monsoonal climate.
Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, 1991
... the center. This change in organization is reflected in the changing patterns ofsettlement lo... more ... the center. This change in organization is reflected in the changing patterns ofsettlement location, population dispersal and concentration, and site size distribution that characterized the Phimai region. CONCLUSIONS The ...
These three volumes, along with the forthcoming Volume 2D, the catalogue of metal and metal-relat... more These three volumes, along with the forthcoming Volume 2D, the catalogue of metal and metal-related finds, present the results of a thorough, detailed study of the metals recovered during archaeological investigations in 1974 and 1975 at the village of Ban Chiang and three smaller sites in the northern part of northeast Thailand. At a time when little was known of Southeast Asian prehistory, the finding of very elaborately painted earthenware pottery vessels, probably prehistoric, at Ban Chiang stirred the interest not only of archaeologists, but also, unfortunately, from the standpoint of scientific investigation of the past, that of looters, dealers, and collectors of antiquarian art. In order to recover a sample of these vessels in their original depositional context, the Thailand Fine Arts Department and the University of Pennsylvania undertook one of the largest excavations of a prehistoric site carried out in Southeast Asia at the time. What subsequently caused added excitemen...
conducted survey and excavation of sites in the vicinity of the town of Phimai in northeast Thail... more conducted survey and excavation of sites in the vicinity of the town of Phimai in northeast Thailand. Phimai formerly served as a regional Khmer sacred, administrative, and commerical center from about A.D. 1000 to 1300. Archaeological and historical evidence indicated that Phimai might have been an important center before its integration into the Khmer state. The approach taken in the research was regional, investigating the development of Phimai as a major center by focusing upon the towns that formed alternative or minor centers and upon the villages and farms that constituted the hinterland for Phimai and supported its development. The primary focus of the investigations was on the fortified or moated sites, sites surrounded with earth walls and moats, first identified on aerial photographs by Peter Williams-Hunt (1950). The goals of the research included the location, mapping, and dating of the moated sites in the Phimai region and determination of the function, date of construction, and present condition of the earthworks at these sites. Two hypotheses were proposed for testing: (1) the concentration of population into these moated sites was associated with the practice of intensive wet rice agriculture, and (2) these sites were centers for long-distance exchange. In a previous paper, Welch (1983) presented preliminary results based primarily on in-the-field analysis of the data. A later paper (Welch 1984) provided a more thorough analysis of the site survey data and their implications in terms of settlement, subsistence, and political organization during the late prehistoric period in the Phimai region. The present paper furnishes detailed information on the excavations conducted at two sites, Ban Tamyae and Non Ban Kham. In particular, this paper
Archaeological research at the Yarang complex of moated sites in Pattani demonstrates that this w... more Archaeological research at the Yarang complex of moated sites in Pattani demonstrates that this was an early historic Buddhist ceremonial centre and a later Islamic fortification, but probably not the early trade centre called Langkasuka. At Kerisik archaeological evidence supports the identification of this complex as the location of the fifteenth-eighteenth century trading port city of Patani.
Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, 1997
... The route also served internal trade networks. Given the location of many Khmer pottery kiln ... more ... The route also served internal trade networks. Given the location of many Khmer pottery kiln sites, the road probably served as a major route for the distribution of Khmer stoneware pottery both toward Angkor and to-ward Phimai. ...
Based on archaeological evidence from the Phimai region and elsewhere in Northeast Thailand, late... more Based on archaeological evidence from the Phimai region and elsewhere in Northeast Thailand, late prehistoric exchange patterns, focused on local and regional centres of redistribution and perhaps markets, formed the foundation of the Khmer temple and market centred economy. Early regional exchange networks and the Khmer economic system into which they evolved were adaptive responses to the unpredictability of a monsoonal climate.
Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, 1991
... the center. This change in organization is reflected in the changing patterns ofsettlement lo... more ... the center. This change in organization is reflected in the changing patterns ofsettlement location, population dispersal and concentration, and site size distribution that characterized the Phimai region. CONCLUSIONS The ...
Uploads
Papers by David Welch