Skip to main content
Ref ID: 37262
Ref Type: Journal Article
Authors: Higham, Thomas F. G.
Weiss, Andrew D.
Pigott, Vincent C.
Higham, Charles F. W.
Ramsey, Christopher Bronk
Guedes, Jade D' Alpoim
Hanson, Sydney
Weber, Steven A.
Rispoli, Fiorella
Ciarla, Roberto
Pryce, T. O.
Title: A new chronology for a prehistoric copper production centre in Central Thailand using kernel density estimates
Date: 2020
Source: Antiquity
Abstract: The Khao Wong Prachan Valley of central Thailand is one of four known prehistoric loci of co-occurring copper mining, smelting and casting in Southeast Asia. Many radiocarbon determinations from bronze consumption sites in Northeast Thailand date the earliest copper-base metallurgy there in the late 2nd millennium BC. By applying Kernel Density Estimation to ca. 100 new AMS radiocarbon dates, we conclude that the first millet farmers settled the valley by 2000 BC, and initial copper mining and rudimentary smelting began in the late second millennium BC. This dovetails with the established dates for Southeast Asian metal consumption sites.
Volume: 94
Page Start: 948
Page End: 965