Ban Yang Thong Tai

Terrain

General condition

The area where archaeological evidence was found is characterized by an old river sedimentary mound. It is about 1 meter higher than the surrounding area, and the diameter of the hill is about 500 meters. At present, it is the location of the Yang Tong Tai village. (Yangthong Village?)

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Lam Muang (Cassiak Lam Mine), Kuang River

Geological conditions

The general area is the old alluvium terrace and the old alluvial terrace and fans, with a slope of about 2-3 degrees. East of the archaeological site, approximately 800 meters away, there is a quarry ( Cassia Mine Lam) which flows into the Kuang River in the southwest.

Soils that are the main constituents of the soil morphology of the area are The soil in relation to the Lampang/San Sai asoociation series (Lp/Sai:Lampang/San Sai asoociation) which is classified as Low humic gley soil. Characteristics and properties of the soil are generally loamy soil surface. or sandy loam, dark gray or brown There are yellowish brown dots. The soil is neutral to weakly alkaline (pH 6-7). The bottom soil is sandy loam or sandy loam in depth, gray, light gray or pinkish gray. The soil is neutral to weakly alkaline (pH 6-7), often with iron and manganese lumps. In the lower soil layers in the rainy season, there is a high level of underground water seepage. and hygroscopic soil (Sayan Praichanchit 1988)

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Ban Yang Thong Tai Archaeological Site It is the burial site of the Iron Age prehistoric people. The soil layer associated with the habitat does not appear. Red pottery was used in death rituals. which can be compared with Hariphunchai culture in the Ping River Valley, Chiang Mai - Lamphun may point to cultural continuity That is to say, the prehistoric people from Ban Yong Thong Tai may send their cultural line to be the Hariphunchai cultural group (Sayan Praichanchit 1988 :111).

According to the study of Sayan Praichanchit (1988), the prehistoric cultural characteristics found in Ban Yang Thong Tai archaeological site are as follows:

The burial model

It is the first burial (primary burial) and may be buried while the body of the deceased has begun to rot or decay. Because the bones were found moving from the original position to some extent. Based on the posture of the skeleton in Grave No. 1, it is assumed that the burial was attempting to place the body in the right-side position. Burial props or consecrated objects are placed in the graves. It may be dedicated to the deceased. There may also be beliefs about destroying things before placing them in the grave.

After the deceased were buried together with tomb accessories or consecrated objects Therefore, the pit was filled up until the soil was slightly raised from the original ground.

Tomb Assembly

Burial accessories found from surveys and excavations include bowl-shaped earthenware. pot-shaped earthenware steel tool white marble bracelet

From the study of the characteristics of the tomb of the male skeleton found in the survey. and female skeletons found from excavations It was found that it was an artifact of the same cultural group. Especially pottery pots with round bottoms with a rope pattern. The neck and lips are painted red. A bowl-type container that is the same in both form and texture. the number of earthenware that was put into the tomb Bronze bracelets and stone bracelets put into the hole, 3 rings each, and iron tools found in both tombs, it is assumed that The two skeletons were probably the same group. and was buried at a distance that was not much apart.

Destroying things before placing them in the grave

The excavators and studies have noted that smashing pottery pots with round bottoms of various sizes and put it into the tomb above the body of the deceased. including discarding the bending of the bronze bracelet smashing the tip of a steel spear It is a common form of destruction of objects found in metal-era tombs in northeastern and central Thailand. including at the Ob Luang archaeological site in the north.

terracotta pottery and the use of red pottery

All the pottery found was clay pottery. Use sand as a binder There are round-bottomed pots, flat-bottomed pots, and flat-bottomed bowls. The decorations are simple, with a tapestry pattern, a wavy scratch, painted red (on the inside of the bowl and on the edge of the container).

From the found pottery clay pots painted red on the outer and inner edges of the mouth. with a bowl painted red pointed out that such containers are unlikely to be made for everyday use Because the red paint will peel off when exposed to moisture and water.

Some of the clay pots had cracks that occurred while burning. which should not be used to put food or water Therefore, it can be said that these red painted earthenware Made for use in funeral ceremonies.

Prehistoric people at Ban Yang Thong Tai

from the study of the excavated human skeleton found to be female (Study from the hip bone) Approximately 30-35 years old (Study from the teeth) Height 149.50 cm (Study from the length of the right thigh bone using the Genoves formula)

The skeletal part from the survey found to be male (Study from the hip bone) Approximately 50-55 years old (Study from pubic symphysis) Height 170.5 cm (Study from the length of the femur using the Genoves formula)

Age setting

From the evidence of various excavations such as iron tools. Red paint on the edge of the mouth of the earthenware and bowl-shaped vessels, painted red. Marble bangle with metal links and a bronze bracelet with a small bell (Comparable to the late prehistoric archaeological sites in the Northeast) can determine the age comparable to that of people in the past who came to use the area around Ban Yang Thong Tai to perform funeral rituals. Are people in the late prehistoric or Iron Age. Around the 1st-5th Buddhist century