Ban Chiang, Northeast Thailand, Volume 2A

Background to the Study of the Metal Remains

Edited by Elizabeth G Hamilton Edited by Joyce C White

Book cover: Ban Chiang, Northeast Thailand, Volume 2A

Extent: 296 pages

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Museum

Subjects: Asian/Pacific Studies & Religions

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(November 2018)

ISBN: 9781931707213

8.46 x 10.98 inches

Price: $59.95

In stock

PDF (Published)

(November 2018)

ISBN: 9781931707442

Price: $59.95

The emergence and adoption of metallurgy is one of the seminal topics of investigation in the history of archaeology, particularly in the history of archaeological research in Southeast Asia. The site of Ban Chiang, Thailand, is a central site in debates surrounding the chronology and significance of early metallurgy in the region. This book is the first in a series of four volumes that review the contributions of Ban Chiang and three related sites in northeast Thailand excavated by the Penn Museum to an understanding early metallurgy in Thailand. As the study of archaeometallurgy is a complex topic that draws on numerous technical and social science disciplines, this introductory volume presents in several chapters the background needed to assess the metal and related evidence presented in the subsequent volumes in this series. A history of perspectives on the role of metals in ancient societies generally and Southeast Asia, specifically, is provided. Other chapters debunk the conventional paradigm for understanding metals and society and provide current theoretical perspectives and new paradigms for the study of ancient metals. The geological basis for the presence and location of metal ore resources in the region is reviewed. The final chapter presents a technical overview of ways material properties of ancient metals may be studied. While providing a background to the study of metals at Ban Chiang, the volume also reviews, synthesizes, and repositions the method and theory for the study of archaeometallurgy generally.

  • Edited by Elizabeth G Hamilton
  • Edited by Joyce C White