Abstract
The Early Historic Period in the Mun Valley occupies a critical three centuries, from A.D. 500 to A.D. 800, a period often known as that of Zhenla, a name derived from early Chinese accounts. This article first describes early findings of fieldwork designed to illuminate the prehistory of the upper Mun Valley, a period which covers approximately two millennia, with initial settlement now dated between 1500 and 1000 B.C. It then considers the nature of the transition to the complex polities of Zhenla. This involves a combination of archaeological and documentary evidence. Sources for the latter are rare for the Mun Valley, but by broadening the area considered, it is possible to integrate archaeological and historical sources in order to portray the intensifying social changes which characterize the Early Historic Period. It is suggested that most of the Mun Valley was occupied by Khmer speakers during the Iron Age, people responsible for the transition to increasingly centralized polities of the Early Historic Period. In the upper reaches of the Mun catchment, and in the Chi Valley to the north, the late prehistoric inhabitants spoke Mon. They had close affinities with the Dvaravati polities of Central Thailand. If confirmed, this hypothesis would indicate a series of local trends towards increasing social complexity which we can recognize in the early epigraphic record.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES CITED
Groslier, B. P. (1979). La cité hydraulique Angkorienne: Exploitation ou surexploitation du sol? Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême Orient 66: 161–202.
Hanwong, T. (1991). Reclining Buddha at Wat Thammachak Semaram Silpakon Journal 34(6): 61–77 (in Thai).
Higham, C. F. W. (1989). The Archaeology of Mainland Southeast Asia, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Jacob, J. (1979). Pre-Angkor Cambodia: Evidence from the inscriptions in Khmer concerning the common people and their environment. In Smith, R.B., and Watson, W. (eds.), Early South East Asia, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 406–426.
Jacques, C. (1989). The Khmers in Thailand: What the inscriptions inform us. SPAFA Digest, pp. 16–24.
Moore, E. (1989). Water management in early Cambodia: Evidence from aerial photography. The Geographical Journal 155: 204–214.
Moore, E., and Siribhadra, S. (1992). Palaces of the Gods, River Books, Bangkok.
Monkhonkamnuanket, N. (1992). Ban Prasat: an archaeological Site. Fine Arts Department, Bangkok (in Thai).
Nitta, E. (1991). Archaeological study on the ancient iron-smelting and salt making industries in the northeast of Thailand. Preliminary report on the excavations of Non Yang and Ban Don Phlong. Tournal of Southeast Asian Archaeology 11:1–46.
Parmentier, M.H. (1927). L'Art Khmer Primitif, Publications de l'École Française d'Extrême Orient, Nos. 21–22, Paris.
Parry, J. T. (1992). The investigative role of Landsat-TM in the examination of pre-and proto-historic water management sites in Northeast Thailand. Geocarto International, 4: 5–24.
Pichard, P. (1976). Pimay: étude architecturale du temple, École Française d'Extrême Orient, Paris.
Pisnupong, P., and Thawiphon, S. (1989). Archaeological works at Khao Noi. Silpakon Journal 32(6): 24–39 (in Thai).
Prishanchit, S., (1992). Archaeology of Pak Mun, Fine Arts Department, Bangkok (in Thai).
Saraya, D. (1989). Sri Dvaravati: The Initial Phase of Siam's History, Muang Boran, Bangkok (in Thai).
Saraya, D. (1992). The hinterland state of Sri Thep Sri Deva: A reconstruction. In Glover, I., Suchutta, P., and Villiers, J. (eds.), Early Metallurgy, Trade and Urban Centers in Thailand and Southeast Asia, White Lotus, Bangkok, pp. 131–147.
Solheim, W. G., and Ayres, W. (1979). The late prehistoric and early historic pottery from the Khorat Plateau, with special reference to Phimai. In Smith, R. B., and Watson, W. (eds.), Early South East Asia, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 63–77.
Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P. J. (1993). Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.014C age calibration program. Radiocarbon 35(1): 215–231.
van Liere, W. J. (1980). Traditional water management in the lower Mekong Basin. World Archaeology 11: 265–280.
Vickery, M. (1986). Some remarks on early state formation in Cambodia. In Marr, D.G., and Milner, A.C. (eds.), Southeast Asia in the 9th to 14th Centuries Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, pp. 95–115.
Weeraprajak, K. (1986). Inscriptions in Thailand, Vol. 1, Fine Arts Department, Bangkok (in Thai).
Welch, D. J., and McNeill, J. R. (1991). Settlement, agriculture and population changes in the Phimai region, Thailand. BIPPA 11: 210–228.
Williams-Hunt, P. (1950). Irregular earthworks in Eastern Siam: An air survey. Antiquity 24: 30–37.
Wolters, O. W. (1979). Khmer hinduism in the seventh century. In Smith, R.B., and Watson, W. (eds.), Early South East Asia, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 427–442.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Higham, C.F.W. The Transition from Prehistory to the Historic Period in the Upper Mun Valley. International Journal of Historical Archaeology 2, 235–260 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027372325952
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027372325952