ON THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF ANCIENT NAKHON PATHOM: NEW DATA FROM THE EXCAVATION AT TAMBON DHAMMASALA

Abstract

The objective of the excavation at Tambon Dhammasala is to study the cultural development of the ancient community that occupied the eastern part of ancient Nakhon Pathom. The archaeological results demonstrate the human occupation during the Dvaravati period. The first cultural layer or early phase of the occupation probably emerged around the 7th - 8th century A.D. It should be noted that monochrome glass beads and Chinese T’ang ceramics were only discovered in the later phase of the occupation. These imported artifacts indicate some cultural change which (it is assumed) started around the 9th century A.D. The excavation in the last occupied layer shows no evidence of post-Dvaravati artifacts. Thus, the abandonment of the ancient Dhammasala community possibly happened around the 11th century A.D.