Early Settlement Partnered Eastern Mekong River Circular Earthworks in Cambodia and Vietnam Chanthourn Thuy

Ref.: 119
Área temática: 04 Sin asignar
Fecha de recepción: 15/11/2008

AUTORES (* Autor principal)

Thuy, Chanthourn * - Royal Academy of Cambodia (Camboya)

EVALUACIÓN FINAL DEL COMITÉ CIENTÍFICO: Pendiente

ABSTRACT

This project was conducted in order to document the Circular Earthwork (fortress) sites and their culture which spread throughout the region east of the Mekong River. Research urgently needs to be undertaken on these Circular Earthwork sites. Several sites have been already seriously damaged, because of land title and the ignorance of this one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. The fertility of the red soil tropical regions, many types of plants grow very well in these sites. These include both fruit and timber trees, such as crops bananas, mountain-rice, corns, pepper and others. During the French colonial period, other plants were imported into the area such as cash crops (rubber plantation, cashew nut).
Although these sites are endangered there is a need to document them and submit a proposal of conservation to the appropriate authorities. The rich prehistoric settlements associated with lithic tools and port shards at the sites can provide valuable data on the pertinent archaeological and anthropological issues. The finds illustrate the richness of this Memotian Culture of the Circular Earthwork sites in the red soil regions of the eastern Mekong Basin. This culture prospered during the transition from the Neolithic Age to the early Metal Age (in the region). Which is about 2,000 BC to first or second BC. It was an important Southeast Asian culture. Consequently, further cooperation research should be undertake in this region (Cambodia and Vietnam) to understand more deeply this culture and date it accurately. Additionally a regulation for conservation and preservation of these sites must be introduced. Otherwise these culturally important heritage sites will disappear soon because of ignorance.

BIBLIOGRAFÍA