Archaeological discoveries

hermit cave

Terrain

mountain

General condition

Hermit Cave is an ancient site in the group of Wat Pho Ta - Son-in-law. which is a group of ancient sites in the plains area of ​​the northern ridge of Phu Phra Bat The area surrounding the ancient site is a forest.

The condition of the source is a large rock shack consisting of triangular stones, 7 meters wide, 8 meters long, 6 meters high from the ground, stacked on a large rock core. with a stone shed extending to the north And now the stone shed has partially collapsed (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :51)

Phu Phra Bat is a small sandstone mountain. A child in the Phu Phan mountain range or Phu Phan Kham. The average height above sea level is about 320-350 meters. The west of the mountain is steep. and cant descend to the east.

Phu Phan or Phu Phan Kham is a sandstone mountain range that lies in the north-south direction. in the west of Udon Thani Province and Sakon Nakhon Basin

The general condition of Phu Phra Bat is sparse forest. There are natural vegetation types such as hardwood trees, maka wood, red wood, Ching Chang wood, Pradu wood, and deciduous dipterocarp trees. On Phu Phra Bat, there are many open stone terraces, rocks and sandstone sheds scattered around. caused by the action of water and wind on the sandstone.

Because there are quite a lot of hardwood covered. Together with many other natural plants, Phu Phra Bat is classified in the National Reserved Forest Area, “Pah Khuean Nam”, and is the source of many streams such as Huai Hin Lat, Huai Dan Yai, Huai Hin Rong, Huai Nang Usa and Huai Khok Khat. which flows into the east, confluence with the Mekong River at Tha Bo District Nong Khai Province

The plains surrounding the mountains are mainly cultivated for rice and cassava. The eastern valley of Phu Phra Bat is the largest valley characterized by undulating plains. Most of the area is cultivated for rice and cassava. This valley is commonly referred to as Lup Phan.

Height above mean sea level

297 meters

Waterway

Huai Hin Lat, Huai Dan Yai, Huai Hin Rong, Huai Nang Usa, Huai Khok Khad, Huai Mong, Mekong River

Geological conditions

Phu Phra Bat is a sandstone hill. in the Phu Phan Noi mountain range at the edge of the western plateau of Udon Thani Sandstone is white, orange, pebbled, grit consists of quartz, chert, red talc. some igneous rocks with a trace There are shale and gravel interspersed. It is in the Phu Phan rock unit, Korat series, in the lower - mid-Cretaceous period, or about 90-140 million years ago. The sandstone in the area has outstanding geological features. Because there are different properties in each floor. and has undergone geological erosion by water and wind. Makes the appearance of the landscape that is strange in many areas, such as Hor Nang Usa, Tham Chang, Father Ta's coffin, Thao Baros coffin, Nang Usa coffin, Pho Ta temple, Phra Ku Nang Usa cave, Nang Usa pond. Quail Stone Shed as well as the geological, physical and geological features found in the sandstone. which is a clear stratum or sedimentary rock For example, showing interleaving layers with gravel layers. An oblique-level display showing a change in water flow direction. (Department of Mineral Resources 2009 :38-39)

various shapes formed from sandstone and gravel sand have different texture The highly durable rock layers protrude into rock sheds. or a layer of rock overlaid on top The less durable rock layers will erode. or being eroded or is a concave part under the hard rock Become a rock shed or a rocky cliff such as Hor Nang Usa, etc.

Archaeological Era

prehistoric

era/culture

Metal Age, Late Prehistoric

Archaeological age

Around 3,000-2,500 years ago, 14-16 Buddhist century (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :55)

Types of archaeological sites

Habitat, Religious Site

archaeological essence

The condition of the Hermit Cave archaeological site is a large rock shack consisting of a triangular boulder, 7 meters wide, 8 meters long, 6 meters high from the ground, stacked on a large rock core. with a stone shed extending to the north And now the stone shed has partially collapsed (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :51)

Around the stone shed there are 7 parapet leaves, details (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :53) are as follows:

The leaf 1 north east side It looks like a lotus petal sandstone parapet, 0.5 meters wide, 0.29 meters thick and 1.2 meters high.

The leaf 2 east side It looks like a sandstone parapet in a square shape at the end of lotus petals. The size is 0.5 meters wide, 0.43 meters thick and 1.6 meters high.

The leaf 3 southeast side It looks like a sandstone parapet in a square shape at the end of lotus petals, size 0.5 meters wide, 0.35 meters thick and 1.65 meters high.

The leaf 4 On the south side, there is a lotus petal sandstone parapet, 0.63 meters wide, 0.3 meters thick, and 1.8 meters high.

The leaf 5 southwest side It looks like a sandstone parapet in a square shape with lotus petals, width 0.47 meters, thickness 0.41 meters and height 1.65 meters.

The leaf 6 west side It looks like a lotus petal sandstone parapet, 0.45 meters wide, 0.43 meters thick and 1.8 meters high.

The leaf 7 north side It looks like an octagonal sandstone parapet, 0.45 meters wide, 0.45 meters thick and 0.8 meters high.

from the condition of the hermit cave that is a large rock shed with a stone shed extending to the northwest which can be used as a roof to avoid the rain as well It may have been a temporary residence of prehistoric people. As for the parapet that surrounds the stone shed in the direction that it was assumed that there were originally 8 leaves, but now there are only 7 left. It is assumed that the hermit cave was used as a place for Buddhist rituals or as a chapel in the historical Dvaravati period. (Pitachai Jatuchai 2010 :54-55)

Song Metha Khao Noona,
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