Archaeology Mapping
From Boise State - Geoscientists Without Borders
Southeast Asia contains a rich assortment of archaeological sites, from sites fully developed as tourist attractions to buried sites that have yet to be fully characterized (Dumarçay and Smithies, 1995; Higham, 1989). Identification and development of these sites greatly benefits the local economy through responsible tourism. Past work of Wood and Liberty at northern Thailand sites show that magnetometry is particularly useful for mapping buried brick structures (Wood et al., 2004). A number of important Laos and Thai 14th Century sites composed of brick and laterite monuments and temples are partially buried beneath river silts. An undeveloped site with buried brick structures is located along the banks of the Mekong River, 190 km northeast of Chiang Mai, at Chiang Saen Noi (Wood et al., 2008), and across the river in Laos at Souvanna Khom Kham (Lorrillard, 2000). The Chiang Saen site was nominated in 2002 for a Global Heritage Fund site (Global Heritage Fund, 2003). However, these sites need more extensive exploration to verify their size and significance. Delineation of buried ruins is critical to prevent development and land use that has, in the past, destroyed important sites (Lertrit, 1997). We will work closely with the Thai Fine Arts Department and the Laos Department of Museums and Archaeology to maximize the use of geophysical surveys for the preservation of a selected site. The Mekong River sites are undeveloped agricultural fields, free of structures and should allow for efficient magnetometer and GPR surveying. The distance from Chiang Mai to this site is considerable. Our plan is to mobilize the field camp participants in three groups every other day to this site. Lodging in Chiang Saen is very reasonably priced, and will provide each group 2 full days to characterize this site. A BSU/CMU team will be locally stationed at this site during the 3-group data acquisition window.
Reference Papers
- Dumarçay, J., and Smithies, M., 1995. Cultural sites of Burma, Thailand and Cambodia. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 127 p.
- Lertrit, S., 1997, Who owns the past? A perspective from Chiang Saen, Thailand. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 2, 81-92.
- Lorrillard, M., 2000, Souvanna Khom Kham ou Chiang Saen rive gauche? Note sure un site archéologique lao récemment “découvert”. Aséanie, 5, p. 57-68. (in French).
- Wood, S. H., Liberty, L. M., Singharajwarapan, F. S., Bundarnsin,T., and Rothwell, E., 2004, Feasibility of gradient magnetometer surveys of buried brick structures at 13th Century (C.E.) Wiang Kum Kam, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, in: Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Geophysics, Chiang Mai, edited by: Rieb, S., Wongpornchai, P., and Chantraprasert,S., Department of Geological Sciences, Chiang Mai University. p. 22–30.
