| Abstract: |
U-Thong in Suphan Buri Province is one of the major cities that prospered in the Dvaravati period (circa 6th-11th century CE). However, the noteworthy studies of Chin Yoodi, Jean Boisselier and Phasook Indrawoothalso suggested that U-Thong was a key site in the proto-historic or pre-Dvaravati period and played a significant role in trade networks contemporary with Oc Eo, a major port of Fu Nan in southern Vietnam. Additionally, the recent study of dating Dvaravati or re-thinking Dvaravati by Andrew Barram and Ian Glover based on some absolute (re-calibrated) dates from the excavation at Ban Tha Muang demonstrated that U-Thong was occupied since the 1st century CE, and suggested the term early or proto-Dvaravati for this period. This article presents the result of the archaeological excavation in 2015 conducted by the Department of Archaeology at Ban Noen Phlab Phla. The main objectives of this study were to explain the sequence of Dvaravati cultural layer within the U-Thong moated site. Many evidences were unearthed such as household (domestic) activities and brick monuments from the Dvaravati period that were never found before. The most important data, from the excavation in the lowest cultural layer, is the discovery of an infant skeleton which can be dated by AMS Radiocarbon dating to the second half of the 3rd century CE. This new data is significant evidence to the study of ritual and the socio-cultural development in the pre-Dvaravati period at U-Thong and other Dvaravati sites as well.
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