Damrong Journal of The Faculty of Archaeology Silpakorn University

An Indian Tai’s Journey into the Beginning: Reflections on Prof. Girin Phukon’s Fieldwork to and from Mengmao, Yunnan, China by Chen Jianming)

2026-06-24T17:06:01+07:00

Editorial Team

2026-06-30T16:00:35+07:00

Editorial

2026-06-30T16:04:44+07:00

Prehistoric Period in the Khao Sam Roi Yot Area New Evidence from Archaeological Operations

2026-02-04T13:58:02+07:00

Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, located along the western coastline of the Gulf of Thailand in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, encompasses Sam Roi Yot and Kui Buri districts. In 1996, prehistoric rock paintings were first discovered by a British cave researcher. This led the Fine Arts Department, Office 1 in Ratchaburi, to conduct studies and publish the findings in 2004 under the title "Cave Art of Khao Sam Roi Yot". In 2017, another significant rock painting site was discovered at Ban Hub Ta Khot, within the park area. This prompted a comprehensive archaeological survey project in the 2020 fiscal year.

As a result, evidence of prehistoric human habitation and eight new rock painting sites were identified. From 2022 to the present, archaeological excavations have been carried out at the Tham Din rock painting site, one of the newly discovered sites. These excavations uncovered substantial evidence of prehistoric human activities, including habitation and burial practices. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the site was occupied approximately 34,000–11,000 years ago, corresponding to the Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene periods.

These findings represent a significant shift in the understanding of prehistoric human settlement and environmental conditions in Western Thailand and contribute important new data to the broader prehistoric context of Southeast Asia. The discoveries underline the cultural richness and long-standing human presence in the region, warranting further interdisciplinary research and conservation efforts.

Pasupata-Saivism in Early Historic Southeast Asia: Some Observations from Mukhalinga

2026-04-16T13:04:09+07:00

The Pasupata school of Saivism had a profound influence during the early historical period of Mainland Southeast Asia, as suggested by epigraphical evidence. However, a conventionally iconographical element of this tradition, the image of Lakulisa, remains regionally limited. In India, a particular archetype of Siva Linga called “Image-Linga” has been discovered; this image is believed to be closely linked to the Pasupata tradition and may have contributed to the stylistic development of Southeast Asian Mukhalinga. This article, therefore, firstly examines the Pasupata belief regarding Image-Linga in India. The second part investigates inscriptional and archaeological evidence related to the Pasupata sect in Mainland Southeast Asia. The discussion concludes with observations on the sects’ influences on the conceptualization of Mukhalinga, which it may hint that the Mukhalinga served as a material representation of the ideology of Siva’s union and Southeast Asian rulers relied on the Pasupata ascetics’ knowledge to enhance their authority through the likeness of the divine.

The “Vina” in Ancient Southeast Asian Art before 14th Century CE

2026-04-11T19:32:18+07:00

The Vina is a group of stringed instruments originating from the Indian subcontinent, dating back to the Vedic period. They were used as a ritual accompaniment for the chanting of Shlokas, and as a source of secular entertainment. The term "Vina" encompasses a diverse range of instruments, including both plucked and bowed types, which are categorized differently across various schools of thought. The primary evolutionary lineage of the Vina stems from two prototypes: the harp-like Vina and the Kinnari Vina. These early forms significantly influenced the development of various chordophones throughout Southeast Asia before 14^th century, and some of them persist to the present day. Conversely, the development of the gourd lute within India during later periods—specifically around the 13^th century was influenced by Persian–Islamic musical traditions, leading to more complex structural refinements. Furthermore, prior to the 14^th century CE, Southeast Asia exhibited a greater diversity of plucked instruments, particularly within the Lute-like instruments. These instruments emerged through both indigenous innovation and cultural synthesis, reflecting close affinities with Chinese and Persian musical influences.

Grand Palace: the Origin of Rattanakosin-period Art and the Royal Court

2026-03-16T14:28:24+07:00

The artistic creations within the Grand Palace were commissioned by royal command and executed by court artisans, serving as a focal point of national prosperity during the Rattanakosin period. These works embody distinctive aesthetic qualities, exceptional beauty, and cultural significance that are unmatched by any other artistic sources. Each piece was created with a functional and ceremonial purpose, intimately connected to royal rites and traditions of the era. Moreover, the art and architecture within the Grand Palace reflect profound religious concepts concerning the institution of monarchy. Central to these are the notions of Devaraja (the divine king), Chakravartin (the universal monarch), and the ancient cosmological belief in the king as the axis mundi—the center of the universe. These ideas are deeply rooted in religious doctrines and are inherently linked to the political and administrative framework of Thailand, wherein the monarch has been the sovereign head from the past to the present.

Monastic-matter Affidavit in the Reign of King Rama IV

2026-01-19T11:13:23+07:00

This article aims to study the monastic-matter affidavit in the Reign of King Rama IV via an analytical text-based method, examining both the formats and the contexts from four folding-book manuscripts belonging to the section of Chot Mai Het (Historical Dispatches and Archives) from the reign of King Rama IV at the National Library of Thailand. The study reveals that the four manuscripts are generally written in the official form of royal-submitted documents. Some of them have also been recorded under the King’s command. As for their content, there are two categories: 1) allegations against monks, which consist of improper depictions of female figures in Wat Thong Nopphakhun’s mural paintings, monks who committed the gravest sins, and the dismissal of Phra Thammametharot (Iam) due to his inaccurate preaching, and 2) the reply of a monk who was approved to travel out of the kingdom, namely Phra Khru Thepsitthithephathibodi, who visited Cambodia in the late period of King Harirak Rama Itsarathibodi. The content analysis reflects the historical monastic matters in the Reign of King Rama IV, along with the situation with Cambodia at that time.

The People's Edition of Tamra Khotchakam Found in the National Library of Thailand

2026-01-19T11:19:13+07:00

This academic article aims to study the manuscript, content, presentation methods, and values of The People’s Edition of Tamra Khotchakam found in the National Library of Thailand. From a survey of 60 ancient Khotchakam documents, the author observed that one Khotchakam text, namely Tamra Klong Chang, document number 96, bundle 11, exhibits the characteristics of the people’s edition due to the presence of Southern dialect words.

In terms of content, a variety of topics were found, such as chants for exorcising the ghost of the stable, spells to counter witchcraft, rituals for warding off misfortune, incantations for controlling elephant ropes, rituals for building and blessing elephant enclosures, and manuals for diagnosing and curing illnesses of male and female elephants. In terms of presentation techniques, an interesting feature is that each section begins with words such as “Om,” “Sithikariya,” or “Omsithikan,” which express respect for teachers and serve as auspicious invocations. Each section ends with words such as “Lae,” “Jop Thaoni Lae,” or “Therd.” The People’s Edition of Tamra Khotchakam reflects profound values in both language and local wisdom. In terms of language, it employs poetic expressions with rhythmic sound patterns for aesthetic effect and incorporates multiple languages—Pali, Sanskrit, Khmer, and local dialects. In terms of local wisdom, the manuscript embodies diverse bodies of knowledge, including beliefs and rituals related to elephants, traditional medicine, and the management of large animals. This demonstrates that local elephant handlers did not raise elephants merely for livelihood but also developed systematic knowledge and practices in Khotchakam, giving rise to a distinctive body of local wisdom that has been passed down within the community.

Towards a Critical Edition of Pāli Literature Composed in Thailand: A Case Study of the Ubbiseka version of the Jālikaṇhābhiseka

2026-02-17T22:09:38+07:00

The Jālīkaṇhābhiseka narrates the marriage between Prince Jali and Princess Kanha after King Vessantara’s death. The palm-leaf manuscripts of this work are widespread throughout all regions of Thailand. Sixteen copies are monolingually composed in Pāli and thirty-nine copies composed bilingually: Pāli together with the vernacular languages. The Pāli texts exist in two versions: Ubbiseka and Kaṇḍaṃ. Either of these versions may be the origin of the bilingual versions, however, neither version has previously undergone critical editing. Moreover, the Pāli language found in these palm-leaf manuscripts in Thailand differs from standard Pāli. This article therefore aims to propose guidelines to make the critical edition of Pāli literature composed in Thailand, using the case study of the Ubbiseka version of the Jālīkaṇhābhiseka. The results of the study demonstrate that forms of Pāli that differ from standard Pāli should not be regarded as erroneous. Accordingly, the editorial process should preserve such forms in order to remain as close as possible to the author’s original text, in accordance with the principles of textual criticism.

“Nirat Song” : The continuation of The Nirat convention and the Creation of Literature to Promote Tourism in Thailand

2026-02-05T18:49:39+07:00

This research aims to study the popular Thai poetic tradition known as “Nirat”, specifically to explore use of the Nirat convention to promote tourism in Thailand. The research reveals two approaches to song titling: titles based on location of romance and titles based on songs’ setting. The story told by the lyrics is also divided into two groups, the Nirat songs which features travel, or the passage of time along with the manifestation of love or romantic mourning, and the Nirat songs that feature travel or passage of time to present experiences related to that place. The song’s title references the name of the place and the story within the lyrics, encompassing both physical travel and the passage of time - sentiment of loving remembrance and the inclusion of descriptive information about the observed location. These characteristics collectively represent the established literary convention that are preserved in the “Nirat Songs” which demonstrate the continuation, adaptation, and application of the traditional Nirat form to suit the modern era and respond to the tourism industry.

The Cancellation of the Future: Hauntology in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go

2026-04-03T11:52:13+07:00

This article examines Never Let Me Go (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro as a literary work that articulates the condition of the “cancellation of the future” through the theoretical framework of hauntology as developed by Mark Fisher. It argues that the novel should not be read merely as a dystopian narrative concerned with cloning technology, but rather as a psychosocial allegory that reflects the structural effects of late neoliberal capitalism, a system that progressively erodes humanity’s capacity to imagine futures fundamentally different from the present. The article demonstrates that the novel’s retrospective narrative structure, its temporal disjunctions, and its pervasive sense of anachronism function as key mechanisms in the construction of “temporal haunting,” through which the past, the present, and futures that never arrive overlap in unstable and unresolved ways. The analysis reveals that the lives of the cloned subjects in the novel are marked by stasis and systematic submission to a predetermined destiny, a condition that closely corresponds to Fisher’s concepts of the “slow cancellation of the future” and “structural futurelessness.” Institutions such as Hailsham School operate as mechanisms of structural violence, cultivating the characters’ acceptance of their fate through ambiguity, euphemistic language, and an ideology of benevolence. As a result, the deprivation of the clones’ future is normalized and rendered largely unquestionable. Rather than relying on overt coercion, the system embeds compliance within everyday practices and moral narratives, thereby obscuring the violence inherent in its operations. The article ultimately proposes that this novel constitutes a literary space in which the “ghosts of futures that never came” continue to haunt the present. In doing so, the novel exposes the psychosocial condition of contemporary subjects living under neoliberal capitalism, a condition in which the imagination of alternative possibilities has been severely constrained, if not rendered impossible altogether.

From “Ban Talad Kwan” to “Mueang Nonthaburi”: Historical Development during the 15th–17th Centuries through Archaeological and Art Historical Evidence

2025-10-01T15:57:47+07:00

Nonthaburi is an important agricultural and trading hub along the Chao Phraya River, dating back to the Ayutthaya period. The development of the city is reflected in archaeological evidence, historical documents, arts, and other related sources. Nonthaburi began as a collection of agricultural communities along the old Chao Phraya River or Khlong Oam Non in the late 15^th century, and the area eventually became known as “Ban Talad Kwan.” It began to form more clearly as a city, particularly after the construction of a large Prang at Wat Prang Luang, located near Khlong Bang Muang, dating back to the second half of the 16^th century. Nonthaburi officially became a city in 1549 under the reign of King Maha Chakrapat, serving as an important port and food supply center on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River. Sandstone Buddha statues and red sandstone Semas discovered in the area date back to the same period as the establishment of the city. At the same time, the construction of Khlong Lat Bang Kruai, linking the area of Bangkok, contributed to the expansion of the communities and orchards. This is reflected in Crowned Buddha statues and red sandstone Semas, showing the prosperity of this area during the middle Ayutthaya period. Thus, the early development of Nonthaburi from a “village” to a “city” is marked by three key areas: Bang Muang, Ban Talad Kwan (Nonthaburi), and Bang Kruai.

Peer Review

2026-06-30T23:28:20+07:00