The Mekong Basin

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Comment by Peter Matthews on July 12, 2009 at 9:34pm

Abstract

The Mekong River, the twelfth longest river in the world, has long been considered an ancient highway for peoples, technologies, and cultures. But modern archaeological evidence elucidating relationships among different parts of the river basin is only beginning to emerge. The papers in this session will present current multi-disciplinary research investigating questions arising from the meaning of this river basin for prehistoric human occupation. Topics to be addressed range from its use by early agricultural societies to its affect on subregional and interregional interactions for the last several thousand years.

Speakers

Phousavanh Vorasing (World Heritage Centre, Xieng Khouang Province, Lao): An ethno-ecological comparison of shells from excavations in the Khan and Pa tributaries: implications for stone age occupation of the middle Mekong region

Souliya Bounxaythip (Division of Archaeological Research, Department of Heritage, Vientiane): Flake size variation during the Holocene stone age: recent evidence from two excavations in northern Laos and its implications for resource use in the middle Mekong.

Souliphan Bouaraphan (Division of Archaeological Research, Department of Heritage, Vientiane): Lithic resource variation in the Khan and Pa tributaries during the Stone Age: implications for the Hoabinhian from two recent excavations

Souksamone Sonethongkham (Lao National Museum): Variation in core sizes and materials from two stone age sites in the middle Mekong region

Korakot Boonlop (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre) and Sureeratana Bubpha (Thammasatt University): Mekong River: Connecting cultures and people on MMAP

Joyce White (University of Pennsylvania): TBA

Thongsa Sayavongkhamdy, Nigel Chang, Viengkeo Souksavatdy, Hayden Cawte: The archaeology of Sepon, Lao PDR: archaeometallurgy, unexploded bombs & collaborations.