| Abstract: |
This paper is an attempt to establish the chronology of the early historic culture in Thailand based on archaeological data, especially in view of the dating of the sites. The paper will discuss the delimitation of the early historic period from the fourth century B.C. to the sixth century A.D. The results of the C-14 dating and the analysis of archaeological finds from recently excavated sites, such as Wat Phom Thin Lai (Lopburi province) and Wat Chom Chuan (Sukhothai province), reveal distinctive aspects of the early historic period. The C-14 dating of the upper layers of some well-known prehistoric sites in Northeast and Central Thailand, which were overlooked by the excavators, have been considered by the present author to belong to the early historical cultural layers. This is supported by the results of a re-analysis of finds from the sites mentioned above. The result of the C-14 dating of a site from Ban San Pa Kha (Chiang Mai province) and related sites, such as Ban Wang Hai (Lamphun province), supports the hypothesis of the existence of early historic sites in the upper north. This also fills the large gap between the prehistoric and historic period in the region. The re-analysis of special finds from archaeological sites in the south adds to our knowledge of not only the chronology of the early historic culture in Thailand, but also of the story of past cultural interaction and trade between Thailand and places overseas.
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