Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Urban History and Political Complexity in First Millennium CE Thailand: The Kamphaeng Saen Documentation Project

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. Carla Sinopoli, Mr. Matthew Gallon will conduct archaeological survey and excavation at the first millennium AD fortified town of Kamphaeng Saen in central Thailand. Kamphaeng Saen is located in the heartland of Thailand's first state, the Dvaravati kingdom (7th-10th century AD). This poorly understood kingdom was located at the crossroads of the early long-distance trade routes between East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The development of the Dvaravati kingdom coincided with an increase in the number and the size of towns and cities in central Thailand. However, the relationship between the development of the Dvaravati kingdom and the spread of urbanism in central Thailand remains unclear. Gallon will investigate this relationship by examining how changes in the size, organization, and function of a Dvaravati town, Kamphaeng Saen, corresponded to the rise and fall of the Dvaravati kingdom. The urban centers of the ancient world exhibit a wide range of forms and functions. Some urban centers were highly specialized ceremonial centers, craft production centers, or military garrisons. Alternatively, some towns and cities had more generalized functions and were home to a wide range of different production and ceremonial activities. The population density and number of different ethnic groups and social classes also differed between urban centers. The extent to which the characteristics of an urban center varied in response to the strength and goals of the political authorities that controlled it remains unclear. This project will investigate how Kamphaeng Saen changed in response to the development and decline of the Dvaravati kingdom. Gallon will collect evidence of the spatial distribution of monuments, craft production debris, and household objects at Kamphaeng Saen. These different categories of evidence will enable him to assess how the site size, population density, range of production activities, level of social inequality, and investment in monuments changed over time at the settlement. Finally, Gallon will compare Kamphaeng Saen to neighboring urban centers to determine if there is a general pattern of urban change in central Thailand that corresponds to the rise and fall of the Dvaravati kingdom. In addition to its intellectual significance, the project will have several broader social impacts. Data collected during the project will provide the basis for Gallon's doctoral dissertation, as well as several papers to be presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. The project will also train two Thai M.A. students from Silpakorn University (Bangkok) in archaeological research design and field methods. The ancient town of Kamphaeng Saen is currently a scout camp. Gallon will give presentations and site tours to interested scout groups. Similarly, the local Kamphaeng Saen school groups will also be invited to tour the site and excavations. The project will engage the general public through an "open house" day at the site. After completion of the project a small exhibit will be installed at the Kamphaeng Saen monastery museum with an accompanying Thai-English publication. These public outreach efforts are designed to increase the local community's awareness of its rich cultural heritage and the importance of protecting ancient settlements for potential development as tourist attractions.