| Abstract: |
The Lao Peoples Democratic Republic sometimes known as Laos or Lao is a small, land-locked country, which is located in the center of a region renowned for its ceramic production over the last millennium. Lao shares common borders with China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, all of which have been fairly well researched. The history of ceramic production and trading in these countries is already quite well understood yet, little is known about production and trade of ceramics in Lao, especially during Laos historical period. In comparison to its neighboring countries, years of conflict and political unrest in the Lao PDR severely restricted field research. Over the last few decades the country began to open up and is now subject to quite rapid development. As Lao began to open its doors it gradually became possible to undertake archaeological excavation and survey. Over the last decade several archaeological surveys have been implemented. Today, as a result of recent archaeological field projects, Laos vital link to other countries is becoming progressively clearer. In the attempt to reconstruct past human activity the analyses of ceramic trade, distribution, and production is most revealing.
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