Ban Chiang

Province

Ban Chiang ( Thai: บ้าน เชียง ) is a village in northeast Thailand. It is located in Nong Han district of Udon Thani province.

Location

Ban Chiang is located about 50 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Udon Thani on the border with the province of Sakon Nakhon.

Economic importance and

Before, people lived here rather poorly by the meager harvests of rice fields and plantations around. Now tourism is the main source of income of Ban Chiang, which is attracted by the sensational finds from the Bronze Age.

History

Until 1967, it was assumed that Ban Chiang - was inhabited by about 1820 Laos - like most other towns and villages in the neighborhood. And since that time there have been reports and testimonies of findings: bone, ceramics, metal tools, etc.

1966 made ​​the Americans Steve Young ( son of the then U.S. Ambassador to Thailand) archaeologists in Bangkok attention to the site. Come to the fore in two campaigns (1966-1967 and 1972 ) sensational findings, which indicated that the area was already settled nearly 6,000 years and was home to a highly developed culture. It was only in later excavations enough organic material could have been obtained for radiocarbon dating, whereby the beginnings of Ban Chiang were re- dated to the 2nd millennium BC.

Fine ceramics with spiral and ribbon ornaments, stylized plants and animals and natural clay pots with elegant shapes and imaginative patterns (eg, wave pattern, leaves, thumbprints ) were discovered. They are among the oldest pottery patterns of the earth. However, the greatest attention was given to dig through the Bronze Age tools, which are unique in Southeast Asia. Had the original date confirmed, then the Bronze Age would have begun ( in parallel with the development in Mesopotamia ) at the time of European Neolithic here. The similarity of patterns and colors between the finds at Ban Chiang and those in Mesopotamia is astounding. Findings could be detected until the 5th century AD, after which the residents are apparently disappeared.

1992 Ban Chiang was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

See also: History of Thailand.

Attractions

• National Museum of Ban Chiang - are archaeological finds shown ( with English explanations ) with dioramas, the excavation and early life show, and is located near an original reference of