Ban Non Wat

Village in Thailand

Ban Non Wat is a village in Thailand, in the Non Sung district, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, located near the small city of Phimai. It has been the subject of excavation since 2002. The cultural sequence encompasses 11 prehistoric phases, which include 640 burials. The site is associated with consistent occupation, and in modern day Ban Non Wat the occupied village is located closer to the Mun River. Excavations show that people were occupying the region during the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages. This unique sequence has been proven by 76 radiocarbon determinations treated with Bayesian analyses. Bayesian analysis is the use of Bayesian statistics to calibrate radiocarbon dates to receive a more accurate date. Soil in the Ban Non Wat area may displace the Bayesian analysis. The Neolithic period is divided into an early and late phase. The earliest burials are a series of flexed burials thought to represent hunter gatherers. These were partially contemporary with the initial Neolithic settlement by rice farmers who also raised pigs, hunted a wide range of animals, fished and collected shellfish. This was followed by a late Neolithic. Late Neolithic burials were often accompanied with ceramic vessels that are simply decorated with minimal grave goods. In 2022 the domestication of chicken was reassessed by researchers at the University of Exeter, the University of Oxford and Cardiff University. Chicken remains found in more than 600 sites in 89 countries were examined during the research project. The remains of 23 of what were thought to be the earliest chickens found in western Eurasia and north west Africa were subjected to radiocarbon dating. Dr Julia Best, from Cardiff University, said, “This is the first time that radiocarbon dating has been used on this scale to determine the significance of chickens in early societies. Our results demonstrate the need to directly date proposed early specimens, as this allows us the clearest picture yet of our early interactions with chickens.” The oldest bones of a known domestic chicken were from Ban Non Wat, dating to between 1650BC and 1250BC.

The discovery of remarkably wealthy early Bronze Age burials illustrates profound cultural changes with the advent of copper base metallurgy. The Bronze Age at Ban Non Wat has been divided into five phases. Phase 1 occurred from 1050 to 1000 BC and consists of seven burials. Phase 2 burials display more wealth in their grave goods. Copper based axes, anklets, rings, as well as shell bead necklaces, belts, and earrings are some examples of grave goods found at Phase 2 burials. Phase 2 contained a wider variety of grave goods when compared to other mortuary phases. Phase 3 occurred from 850 to 800 BC. It is at this time that the people of Ban Non Wat are being buried into specific groupings however there is no data supporting what these groups represent.

With the Iron Age, a new range of exotic ornaments accompanied the dead, including carnelian, agate, and glass. Later in the Iron Age, the site was surrounded by banks and two moats, which involved the reticulation of water from the adjacent river round the site. The rice fields surrounding the village, although yet to be exhaustively studied, are thought to have been irrigated thousands of years ago, and preliminary dating has supported this theory. These floors were made of baked clay varying in color and texture. In addition to the floors, artifacts associated with metal working such as crucibles and bronze and iron fragments were also found at the site. Additionally, the soil in the area has a higher acidity due to the environment which can interfere with both digs and scientific analysis. There is some conversation concerning the occupation of Ban Non Wat. The site has been continuously occupied since the Bronze Age, during the neolithic age the site could have been less densely populated and used as a seasonal occupation site until the Bronze Age.