Ancient and long-forgotten Ban Chiang Archaeological Site, hidden from human knowledge for millennia, was rediscovered only in the 1960s.

Ban Chiang is considered to be the most important prehistorical settlement so far discovered in South East Asia.

It was the centre of a remarkable phenomenon of human culture, social and technological evolution. The site presents South East Asia’s earliest evidence of farming and manufacture and use of metals. It was continuously occupied for about 3800 years.

Ban Chiang Archaeological Site was created a World Heritage Site in 1992 (Site No. 359).

The Trail to Ban Chiang

During the 1960s undocumented artefacts, supposedly from north-east Thailand, began to appear on the market in provincial towns and in Bangkok. How old were they? From where did they come? Who made them?

No-one really knew. The unusual and beautifully-painted pottery, seemingly found with bronze artefacts, drew attention to the need for serious archaeological investigation in north-east Thailand.

Archaeologists have long considered South East Asia as a cultural backwater, believing that the arts of civilisation were introduced from India, China and even Europe The traditional theory held that bronze technology was established in the Middle East by about 3000BC and eventually spread to  South East Asia 2500 years later.  This discovery of Bronze Age technology dating to sometime between 3000 and 2000BC, thousands of kilometres from the accepted centres of cultural innovation was completely unexpected.

Modern day Ban Chiang’s lost nexus with its ancient past persisted until the 1960s. While many written sources credit Harvard College student Stephen Young with the discovery of the site in 1966, villagers were aware of pottery pieces decades earlier (hence the appearance of artefacts on markets). However, Young’s political and cultural connections helped to create the right circumstances and elevate interest that made the excavations possible.

Discovery of a Lost Bronze Age

Ban Chiang bridges a vast expanse of time, providing a connection to a distant past that had been lost. Its rediscovery provided a clearer understanding of that era.

Its rediscovery shows that, even in the modern age, there are still ancient secrets waiting to be uncovered. This one sparked excitement in academic and public circles alike, leading to research that produced new insights into the previously unrealised extent of the South East Asian Bronze Age.

However, its rediscovery created much controversy in the archaeological world.

Controversy

With the excitement created by the research and the new insights into Ban Chiang came controversy among archaeological scholars. Controversy fuelled by a potential overturning of conventional understanding of Bronze Age timelines.

‘Ban Chiang’ is the name of the modern day village at the archaeological site though it is not known how the people associated with this ancient culture referred to themselves. Even if they did have a sense of separate identity such information is lost to time.

However, while  the name for the archaeological site is comparatively new, through it can be traced the spread and development of prehistoric society and its development into the settled agricultural civilisations that came to characterise the region throughout history and which continue to the present day.

Modern Day Ban Chiang

Ban Chiang is an unremarkable, traditional agricultural and weaving village with a population around 4000 people, located in impoverished north-east Thailand.

Increased tourist visitation since the re-discovery of the archaeological site has brought financial benefits (improved streets and other infrastructure) to the village.

The Fine Arts Department of Thailand establish­ed the first national museum to be built in a Thai village –  all other national museums are in major cities.

Tai Phuan House in Ban Chiang

Archaeological Pit

The Archaeological Pit at Wat Pho Sri Nai

Excavation over an area of more than 600 square metres revealed more than 400 burials with human skeletons and grave goods. With no evidence of daily activities, it it assumed that the area at Wat Pho Sri Nai is a burial ground.

Timeline at Archaeological Site

Carbon dating of charcoal samples from various layers of excavation verified that pre-historic people settled in Ban Chiang between 5600 and 1800 years ago. Dr Joyce C. White analysed the evidence and named three periods. The hypothesis has been widely accepted that bronze was first used as early as 4000 years ago and iron appearing around 2300 years ago.

Late Neolithic Period 5000 to 4000 years ago
Beginning of cultivation.
Settlement as small community.
Use of polished stone tools and ornaments.

Bronze Age 4000 to 2300 years ago
Beginning of rice farming and animal husbandry.
Production of bronze weapons and ornaments.

Iron Age 2300 to 1800 years ago
Start of use of iron implements.
Development of rice farming and animal husbandry.

Ban Chiang National Museum

The Fine Arts Department established Ban Chiang National Museum to preserve and exhibit artefacts. Its stated aim is to preserve one of the world’s precious cultural heritages for future generations.

Contemporaneous Communities

Archaeological surveys and excavations in the Sakon Nakhon Basin (northern Isaan) since 1972 have uncovered 127 prehistoric sites that are considered to represent the same culture as that of Ban Chiang. These sites are densely distributed in the provinces of Udon Thani and Sakon Nahkon. Most of the sites are mounds situated the the confluence of two watercourses, and surrounded by flat, fertile alluvial land suitable for rice cultivation.

Daily Life

The villagers of Ban Chiang carved no tablets, painted no frescoes, nor built cities. Sometime after 3000BC they farmed, smelted ores and cast sophisticated bronze artefacts.

Domesticated humped cattle were brought to Ban Chiang by the first settlers and are still raised in the area today. Cattle were only one of more than 60 species of animal exploited by these ancients.

Water buffalo were used to pull heavy loads, possibly a plow.

Trade with Neighbours

The people of the pre-historic Ban Chiang community had contacts and relationships with communities outside Ban Chiang.

The discovery of non-locally produced artefacts, either obtained from elsewhere or similar to those found in other ancient settlements, is compelling evidence of the exchange of products and materials, as well as the transfer of cultural traits and technology among contemporaneous ancient settlements.

Ban Chiang Archaeological Site

Excavating the Site

Most artefacts were found at the eastern end of the mound, an area dense with houses. This meant that the excavation could be done only in the grounds of the temple, on roads or on private property where the owner granted permission.

Artefacts retrieved from these excavations are on display in the Museum. Many other were plundered and later became the central focus of an international scandal. Burial pits have been opened up and displayed at Wat Pho Sri Nai.

Biomarkers

Thermoluminesence Dating of Pottery

This technology was used to in the dating of artefacts at Ban Chiang that caused so much controversy.

Scandal of Looted Artefacts

In January 2008, thousands of artefacts from Ban Chiang were found to be in collections of at least five California museums. A complex plot involved smuggling the artefacts out of Thailand and into the US, and then donating them to museums in order to claim tax write-offs. There were said to be more items in US museums than at the site itself.

For the most part, the artefacts are back where they belong.

Ongoing Archaeology

Many more early village sites have been located in north-east Thailand but the pre-history of most of South East Asia is still unknown – terra incognita. Until more scientific excavations are undertaken the relationship of the cultural developments in ancient north-east Thailand to the pre-history of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, southern China and China is still to be ascertained.

To see another 15 suggestions for Day Trips and Weekend Trips ex Khon Kaen (non commercial) that are ‘way different’ from your usual Wat and Food Tour, follow this link.