Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T08:10:40.620Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A new chronological framework for prehistoric Southeast Asia, based on a Bayesian model from Ban Non Wat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Charles Higham  and
Thomas Higham
Charles Higham
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Thomas Higham
Affiliation:
Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Research Laboratory of Archaeology and the History of Art, Dyson Perrins Building, University of Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The authors offer a new chronological framework for prehistoric Southeast Asia, based mainly on the Bayesian modelling of 75 radiocarbon dates from well-stratified excavations at Ban Non Wat. The results are revolutionary. Neolithic practice now begins in the second millennium and hierarchical state-forming activity is dated to a ‘starburst’ around 1000 BC. The authors reflect on the social implications of the new model – and on the criteria for an ever stronger chronology.

Keywords

Southeast AsiaThailandNeolithicBronze AgeIron AgeradiocarbonBayesian modelling
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 83 , Issue 319 , March 2009 , pp. 125 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 2009

References

Ashmore, P. J. 1999. Radiocarbon dating: avoiding errors by avoiding mixed samples. Antiquity 73: 124–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bacus, E. A. 2006. Social identities in Bronze Age Northeast Thailand: intersections of gender, status and ranking at Non Nok Tha, in Bacus, E. A., Glover, I.C. & Pigott, V. C. (ed.) Uncovering Southeast Asia's past: 105–15. Singapore: NUS Press.Google Scholar
Bayard, D. T. 1972. Early Thai bronze: analysis and new dates. Science 176: 1411–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bayard, D. T. 1979. The chronology of prehistoric metallurgy in Northeast Thailand: Silabhumi or Samrddhabhumi, in Smith, R. B. & Watson, W. (ed.) Early South East Asia: 15–32. New York & London: Oxford University Press for School of Oriental and African Studies.Google Scholar
Bayard, D. T. & Charoenwongsa, P.. 1983. The development of metallurgy in Southeast Asia: reply to Loofs-Wissowa. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 14(1): 12–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bayliss, A., Bronk Ramsey, C., Van Der Plicht, J. & Whittle, A.. 2007. Bradshaw and Bayes: towards a timetable for the Neolithic. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 17(1) (Supplement): 1–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bayliss, A. & Whittle, A. (ed.) 2007. Histories of the dead: building chronologies for five southern British long barrows (Cambridge Archaeological Journal 17(1) Supplement). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bentley, R. A., Tayles, N. G., Higham, C.F.W., Macpherson, C. & Atkinson, T. C.. 2007. Shifting gender relations at Khok Phanom Di, Thailand. Current Anthropology 48: 301–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 1995. Radiocarbon calibration and analysis of stratigraphy: the OxCal program. Radiocarbon 37(2): 425–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2001. Development of the radiocarbon calibration program OxCal. Radiocarbon 43(2A): 355–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2005. Improving the resolution of radiocarbon dating by statistical analysis, in Levy, T. E. & Higham, T. (ed.) The Bible and radiocarbon dating - archaeology, text and science: 57–64. London: Equinox.Google Scholar
Buck, C. E., Litton, C. D. & Smith, A.G.M.. 1992. Calibration of radiocarbon results pertaining to related archaeological events. Journal of Archaeological Science 19: 497–512.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buck, C. E., Cavanagh, W. G. & Litton, C.D.. 1996. Bayesian approach to interpreting archaeological data. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Fuller, D., Boivin, N. & Korisettar, R.. 2007. Dating the Neolithic of South India: new radiometric evidence for key economic, social and ritual transformations. Antiquity 81: 755–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gorman, C. F. & Charoenwongsa, P.. 1976. Ban Chiang: a mosaic of impressions from the first two years. Expedition 8: 14–26.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.W. 1983. The Ban Chiang culture in wider perspective. Proceedings of the British Academy 69: 229–61.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.W. 1996. The Bronze Age of Southeast Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.|W. 2004. The opposed human figure at Khok Phanom Di. Journal of the Siam Society 92: 15–36.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.W. & O'Reilly, D.J.W.. 2004. Social aspects of the Ban Lum Khao cemetery, in Higham, C.F.W. & Thosarat, R. (ed.) The origins of the civilization of Angkor. Volume 1: the excavation of Ban Lum Khao: 301–23. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department of Thailand.Google Scholar
Higham, C.W.F. & Thosarat, R. (ed.). 1998. The excavation of Nong Nor, a prehistoric site in Central Thailand (Otago University Studies in Prehistoric Anthropology 18). Otago: University of Otago, Department of Anthropology.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.W. & Thosarat, R.. 2004a. The excavation of Khok Phanom Di. Volume VII: summary and conclusions (Report of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 72). London: Society of Antiquaries of London.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.|W. & Thosarat, R. (ed.). 2004b. The origins of the civilization of Angkor. Volume 1: the excavation of Ban Lum Khao. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department of Thailand.Google Scholar
Higham, C.F.W., Kijngam, A. & Talbot, S. (ed.). 2007. The origins of the civilization of Angkor. Volume 2: the excavation Noen U-Loke and Non Muang Kao. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department of Thailand.Google Scholar
Higham, T.F.G. 2004. Dating the occupation of Ban Lum Khao, in Higham, C.F.W. & Thosarat, R. (ed.) The origins of the civilization of Angkor. Volume 1: the excavation of Ban Lum Khao: 5–7. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department of Thailand.Google Scholar
Higham, T.F.G., Van Der Plicht, J., Bronk Ramsey, C., Bruins, H. J., Robinson, M. & Levy, T. E.. 2005. Radiocarbon dating of the Khirbat-en Nahas site (Jordan) and Bayesian modeling of the results, in Levy, T. E. & Higham, T.F.G. (ed.) The Bible and radiocarbon dating - archaeology, text and science: 164-78). London: Equinox.Google Scholar
Higham, T.F.G., Chapman, J., Slavchev, V., Gaydarska, B., Honch, N., Yordanov, Y. & Dimitrova, B.. 2007. New perspectives on the Varna cemetery (Bulgaria) - AMS dates and social implications. Antiquity 81:640–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, L., Ah-Lee, G., Jiang, L. & Zhang, J.. 2007. Evidence for the early beginning (c .9000 cal BP) of rice domestication in China: a response. The Holocene 17: 1059–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loofs-Wissowa, H. H.E. 1983. The development and spread of metallurgy in Southeast Asia: a review of the present evidence. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 14:1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcgrath, R. J., Boyd, W. E. & Bush, R. T.. 2007. The palaeohydrological context of the Iron Age floodplain sites of the Mun River Valley, Northeast Thailand. Geoarchaeology 23: 151–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Movius, H. L. 1960. Radiocarbon dates and Upper Palaeolithic archaeology in Central and Western Europe. Current Anthropology 1:355–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muhly, J. 1988. The beginnings of metallurgy in the Old World, in Maddin, R. (ed.) The beginnings of the use of metals and alloys: 2–20. Cambridge (MA) & London: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Reimer, P. J., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J. W., Bertrand, C.J.H., Blackwell, P. G., Buck, C.E.Burr, G. S., Cutler, K. B., Damon, P. E., Edwards, R. L., Fairbanks, R. G., Friedrich, M., Guilderson, T. P., Hogg, A. G., Hughen, K. A., Kromer, B., Mccormac, G., Manning, S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Reimer, R. W., Remmele, S., Southon, J. R., Stuiver, M., Talamo, S., Taylor, F. W., Van Der Plicht, J. & Weyhenmeyer, C. E.. 2004. IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP. Radiocarbon 46(3):1029–58.Google Scholar
Rispoli, F. In press 2008. The incised and impressed pottery style of mainland Southeast Asia: following the path of Neolithization. East and West 57 (in press).Google Scholar
Solheim II, W.G. 1968. Early bronze in Northeastern Thailand. Current Anthropology 9: 59–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solheim II, W.G. 1970. Northern Thailand, Southeast Asia, and World prehistory. Asian Perspectives 13: 145–62.Google Scholar
White, J. C. 1995. Incorporating heterarchy into theory on socio-political development: the case from Southeast Asia, in Ehrenreich, R., Crumley, C. & Levy, J. (ed.) Heterarchy and the analysis of complex societies: 101–23. Washington (D.C.): American Anthropological Association.Google Scholar
White, J. C. 1997. A brief note on new dates for the Ban Chiang cultural tradition. Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association 16: 103–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, J. C. & Pigott, V. C.. 1996. From community craft to regional specialisation: intensification of copper production in pre-state Thailand, in Wailes, B. (ed.) Craft specialization and social evolution: in memory of Gordon V. Childe (University Museum Monograph 93): 151–76. Philadelphia (PA): University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.Google Scholar
Wiriyaromp, W. 2007. The Neolithic period in Thailand. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Otago.Google Scholar
Zaitseva, G. I., Chugunov, K. V., Bokovenkoi, N. A., Dergachev, V. I., Dirksen, V. G., Van Geel, B., Koulkovai, M. A., Lebedeva, L. M., Sementsov, A. A., Van Der Plicht, J., Scott, E. M., Vasiliev, S. S., Lokhov, K.I. & Bourova, N.. 2005. Chronological study of archaeological sites and environmental change around 2600 bp in the Eurasian steppe belt (Uyuk valley, Tuva Republic). Geochronometria 24: 97–107.Google Scholar