The development of Southern Thai archaeology

Abstract

The study on southern Thai archaeology began in 1910; narrative articles were written by Etienne Edmonde Lunet de Lajongquiere, a French researcher. He wrote on the prehistoric rock paintings on one of the small islands around Phang-nga. For the site surveys, the reporter was Ivor H.N. Evans in 1930. His surveys deal with the Buang Baeb cave site in Suratthani. Two researchers, Robert von Heine Geldern, an Austrian scholar and Roger Duff, an Australian museum's curator, presented their theories about ancient tribes and history of Southeast Asia and relate them to the southern part of Thailand. The latest systematic exploration and excavation began in 1982. The new data from excavation sites show how men since the early Holocene lived. Cavemen in those days used pebble tools for hunting and as weapons. In the Buang Baeb cave site, located in the mainland of the Suratthani province, polished stone implements and rough stone tools are found in the same layer. This site dates back to 4,750 (±210) BP. and 6,510(±360) BP. The particular types of polished stone tools are the beaked adzes, long adzes and bark-cloth beaters. These are rare in the other regions of Thailand; but, are found in Malaysia. So, we may say that in prehistoric time the people and culture in Southern Thailand were closer to that of Malaysia than to other parts of Thailand.