Khao Sam Kaew

Terrain

General Condition

Khao Sam Kaew Archaeological Site Located at Village No. 1, Ban Sam Kaew, Na Cha Ang Subdistrict, Mueang Chumphon District, Chumphon Province (3–4 kilometers north of the City Hall), with a territory of approximately 3 square kilometers. Geography is the area of ​​4 hills of gravel mixed with soil, 20-30 meters above sea level, alternating with plain areas. On the top of the hill there is a flat area of ​​50x50 meters and 200x200 meters on each peak. It resembles a rectangular shape suitable for settlement. Using Remote Sensing, it was found that the ancient lowland areas were flooded.

The main water source of the archaeological site is the Tha Taphao Canal, formed from the Tha Sae Canal and the Rab Ra Canal, originating from the Tanaosri Mountain Range, flowing through the west of the archaeological site, then flowing into the sea at the Gulf of Thailand, Ban Pak Nam, becoming the Chumphon River. in Mueang Chumphon District The distance from the watershed to the coast is approximately 8 kilometers.

From the study, it was found that the Tha Taphao Canal has changed the water route many times. South of the archaeological site flows through the canal Phanang Tak (Bellina and Praon Silapanth 2008 :268). Currently, Khao Sam Kaew Archaeological Site is about 5 kilometers from the east coast.

The area around Khao Sam Kaew archaeological site is currently the location of the government agency, Channel 11 Chumphon Television Station, Department of Public Relations, Wat Ban Ruean Rat. agricultural area Sand mining sites

Territory

North, adjacent to Wat Kaew Sala Loi and Nong Yai.

East, next to the Southern Railway

west Adjacent to Tha Taphao Canal

The south is next to the canal.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Located in the influence area of ​​the Chumphon River Basin, the main waterway is Khlong Tha Taphao, flowing through the west, and Khlong Phanang Tak, flowing through the south of the archaeological site.

Geological conditions

Khao Sam Kaew Archaeological Site It covers an area of ​​approximately 3 kilometers. It is a lowland area alternating with 4 gravel hills, with an altitude of 20-30 meters above sea level. The hilltop has a flat area of ​​50 x 50 meters and 200x200 meters on each peak. It looks like a rectangle suitable for settlement. From using Remote Sensing, it was found that in ancient times, the plain area used to be flooded. Tha Taphao canal flows through the west of the archaeological site. The river will flow out into the Gulf of Thailand. The distance is about 5 kilometers (Bellina and Praon Silapanth 2008 :268)

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Scientific age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Khao Sam Kaew Archaeological Site It is a community from prehistoric times to the beginning of history. From the determination of age by C-14 method from charcoal obtained from excavation, it was discovered that this archaeological site was inhabited from around the 2nd Buddhist century and flourished during the 5th-10th Buddhist century (from the soil layer found Evidence of reuse of the area during the contemporary Rattanakosin period) The results of the systematic excavation made it possible to visualize the ancient community of Khao Sam Kaew during the 2nd-10th Buddhist century as follows:

Characteristics of the community It is classified as a residential and commercial station. (There is the Tha Taphao River flowing through the west of the archaeological site, flowing into the sea. It is a community that is the source of steel industry, glass industry and stone industry. The study found that Settlement Schemes of the community is

A earth wall was built around the community Scattered in archaeological sites, found in many places. The walls are placed along a hill or a plain with a low slope. There are 2 types:double earth wall with a ditch in the middle and a single earth wall. From the model, it is assumed that it is a mound of compacted soil at the base and may have a wooden fence embroidered on top. From the discovery of many earthen walls, scholars speculate that there may be several small communities in the same area. These earthen walls date from around the 2nd-4th Buddhist century (5 samples of charcoal by C-14 method). Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh State, Sisupalgarh Archaeological Site in Orissa India, Rajgir Archaeological Site in Bihar State, Mekong delta site (Oc-Eo) Vietnam, Pyu site Myanmar, etc.

A ditch or drainage is built From the hill to the water source, there is a channel crossing between the hill or valley in Valley 1 and Valley 3. From excavations of the valley 1 channel, it was found that it was a ditch used in the community water management system.

Industrial areas are allocated outside the community (outside the earth wall), most often a flat area near a water source. which from the excavation It was found that the flat area on the 2nd hill near the Tha Taphao River was the area for producing stone beads and glass beads. The plains on the west side of the 3rd and 4th mounds adjacent to the Tha Taphao River Found raw materials and blast furnaces. The results of finding the scientific age C-14 from slag and crucible parts determine the age around the 2nd-4th Buddhist century.

from the evidence found It shows that the ancient community of Khao Sam Kaew is a community that has contacts with outside communities and exchanges consumer products with foreign communities, especially beads and jewelry manufacturing for exports and metal production. Khao Sam Kaew Community does not have raw materials and resources within the area. Therefore, it is assumed that there may be dependence on other communities in terms of resources. Examples of artifacts that demonstrate contact with the outside community include:Thriller drums Age around the 1st-7th Buddhist century, beads embedded with colored threads or Etched bead, similar to those found in India, about 43 - 243 B.E., buoy-shaped beads found in India at the Wirampattanam archaeological site in Pondi. cherry Set the age around the 6th Buddhist century, beads and seals with inscriptions. Most of them are in Sanskrit and Brahmi characters, such as cannelian beads in the shape of rectangular prisms. On one side, there is a Brahmi script written in Sanskrit saying “Akhitro” which means strong. Not weak, determine age around the 4th Buddhist century, green stone seal, rectangular inscription on one side, Brahmi characters, determine the age around the 5th-6th Buddhist century, read as Kapanasa, meaning treasures of Kapana (names of people), fragments of Han Dynasty pottery. West Found from the survey and excavation around the hill 3-4 in the year 2007, the age is around B.E. 337 and 551 correspond to antiques found in bronze mirror fragments, bronze ax bows and bronze axes, etc.

In the community's beliefs From the artifacts found, it is assumed that the ancient community of Khao Sam Kaew There are both beliefs in nature and beliefs derived from external influences. Antiques that reflect the belief in fertility Agriculture and death, such as clay figures depicting undressed people Male genitalia, female miniature, animals and leaves, Buddhist beliefs (beliefs derived from outside influences), such as a crushed stone carved stupa dated around the 10th century B.C. 2 years, the result of scientific age determination Age around the 2nd - 4th Buddhist centuries around the 3rd valley and the skeleton buried on the west side of the 2nd hill with glass bracelets and stone ornaments. The fragments of earthenware and two terrazzo axes represent different rituals after death, buried and burned (Bellina and Praon Silapanth 2008:256 – 293).

Archaeological evidence shows that Khao Sam Kaew community was an important community during the period. 2nd -10th Buddhist century as a trading community important production and housing on the eastern seaboard in the south with relationships with outside communities and likely to have a route to the west coast.

Related inscription :

Found inscriptions on beads and stamps, for example

- Rectangular prismatic cannelian beads On one side, there is a Brahmi script written in Sanskrit saying “Akhitro” which means strong. Not weak, determines the age of the 4th Buddhist century.

- Rectangular green stone seal, found inscription on 1 side, Brahmi characters, dated around the 5th-6th Buddhist century, read as Kapanasa, meaning treasure of Kapana (name of a person)

- Rectangular green stone seal with inscriptions on 2 sides, Brahmi script, dated around the 5th-6th Buddhist century, read as isidata, which is probably a person's name.

- Rectangular red stone seal, found inscription on 3 sides, animal imprint on 1 side (unread and translated)

- 2-colour round stone inscribed in Phra Mi The age of around the 5th-6th Buddhist century read as ma-Tha-ha assumed that the name of the person. It means pure.

etc. (Chawana Kaikaew 2011 :60- 61)