The Earliest Inhabitants
The area which is now Thailand has been populated ever since the dawn of civilization in Asia. The first humans in this region were hunter-gatherers who lived by hunting wild animals and gathering whatever grew wild in the forests. Later on, man learnt to modify nature, growing cereals such as rice and breeding livestock. Rice growing communities sprang up. Metal casting and pottery making also became highly-developed skills as these prehistoric settlements prospered. Cast bronze technology in the northeastern area of Thailand dates from around 2000 B.C., making the prehistoric achievements of Thailand just as advanced as those of India and China.
Beginning in the 1960s, archaeological excavations in various parts of Thailand have unearthed many interesting and important sites, a large number of which are prehistoric, there are several Stone Age settlements, the most notable being Ban Kao in Kanchanaburi Province, Non Nok Tha in Khon Kaen Provice, and Ban Chiang in Udon Thani Provice.
The spectacular finds at Ban Chiang include bronze utensils and ornaments, painted pottery, and bimetallic (bronze and iron) weapons. Ban Chiang was apparently settled as far back as 6,000 years ago and was continually inhabited for some 4,000 years. It was an agricultural community, with skilled metal workers and potters. Artistically, the glory of Ban Chiang can be found in the large amount of painted pottery found at the site; the most graceful shapes and intricate designs appear on pottery dating back to the 300 B.C.-200 A.D. period. The people of Ban Chiang comprised only one among many prehistoric communities in Thailand, which was inhabited for thousands of years before the emergence of the first Thai states.
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