Ban Don Ta Phet
Late Iron Age to Early Historic (c.400 BCE–200 CE)·Early Indian-influenced (Indian contact)」「West? actually Ban Don Ta Phet 400–0 BCE Indian contact·🇹🇭 Kanchanaburi Province, Phanom Tuan District, 8 km north of Phanom Tuan, southern edge of village, Thailand
About
About Ban Don Ta Phet
Late Iron Age cemetery and settlement on southern edge of Ban Don Ta Phet village, 8 km north of Phanom Tuan, Kanchanaburi, 2 km west of Suphan road. Excavated 1980s by I. Glover, yielding high-tin bronze bowls, etched carnelian/agate beads and carnelian lion pendant showing first South Asian exchange across South China Sea (~300 BCE) with Khao Sam Kaeo–Phu Khao Thong, raising timing of Indianization.
Why it mattersIron Age cemetery documenting earliest South Asian exchange across South China Sea
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01South Asian beads import or Indian craftsmen at site?
- 02Pre-Funan Indian contact timing vs Oc Eo
Theories
- 01South China Sea early exchange model: Ban Don Ta Phet–Khao Sam Kaeo Sino-Indian contact before Funan
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.400 BCE
- Period
- Late Iron Age to Early Historic (c.400 BCE–200 CE)
- Culture
- Early Indian-influenced (Indian contact)」「West? actually Ban Don Ta Phet 400–0 BCE Indian contact
- Builders
- Local with South Asian traders
- Purpose
- Iron Age cemetery with South Asian bead and bronze links across South China Sea
- Abandoned
- c.200 CE
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.400 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1325 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
14.1867° N · 99.7293° E · 14 m · 2 mapped features
Southern cemetery edge
burialMain burial zone with bronze bowls and carnelian beads 8 km north Phanom Tuan
14.1870° N · 99.7295° ESettlement debris scatter
settlementHabitation scatter with etched agate and iron slag
14.1864° N · 99.7291° E