Artefacts from excavation sites in Thailand - Recognizable geometric patterns

Three characteristic ceramic shards, excavated in 2003, from different periods were provided by the University of Khon Kaen, Thailand for the study. A sample dated from Bronze Age (ca. 3000 - 2300 BP) with yellow-brown, paint free surface and a younger sample from Iron Age (ca. 2300 - 1800 BP) with red painted design carrying pictorial patterns typical for the Ban Chiang ceramics of this period. The surface material and hematite-red colour pigment of both shards was studied in detail using optical reflectance, thin-sections, FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. Phyllosilicates, Fe, Al and Mg-bearing minerals were identified in detail. Thin sections revealed the thickness of the red paint and the elemental composition of the surface and bulk were determined using an electron microprobe. X-ray tomographic microscopy at beamline BL1.2W of the Synchrotron Light Research institute (SLRI) in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand allowed to access texture and internal clay and pore distribution of the pottery. Compared to younger ceramics, studies on the third, considerably older, dark-gray sample (ca. 3700 BP) with cord-marks from Pre-metal age revealed considerably higher firing temperatures due to its porosity and content of the mineral mullite. Key results were presented:

https://www.edit.fis.uni-hamburg.de/ws/files/57592716/2024-11-13_14_Workshop_Focus_on_Cultural_Heritage_-_Exploring_Cultural_Heritage_with_X-rays_Collaboration_with_DESY_.pdf

The characteristic red patterns on Iron Age pottery from Ban Chiang are an outstanding feature, because they are “recognizable”, however, it is not clear if those marks convey meaning or if they are even patterns with information resp. language capacity features.

Ongoing studies focus on the hematite material source used as pattern pigment which might allow to evaluate hematite-enrichment techniques from the local laterite formations of the site and to disentangle possible trade paths to iron-rich metal mines. Research will be extended to ceramics from Non Nok Tha in collaboration with:

External:

• Dr. Waraporn Tanthanuch, Dr. Somchai Tancharakorn and Dr. Wutthikrai Busayaporn, Synchrotron Light Research Institute, Nakhon Ratchasima, 30000 Thailand
• Kanokwalee Suriyatham, The Fine Arts Department, Ban Chiang National Museum, 41320 Thailand)

Internal:

• Prof. M. Friedrich (Sinology UHH/UWA)
• Chr. Berns (Archaeology UHH/UWA)
• Prof. M. Fischer (Food Chemistry UHH/UWA)

• Bismayer U., S. Srilomsak, Y. Treekamol, W. Tanthanuch and K. Suriyatham
  Artefacts from Ban Chiang, Thailand: pottery with hematite-red geometric patterns
  Z. Kristallogr., 235, 559-568, 2020
  https://doi.org/10.1515/zkri-2020-0076

• Tanthanuch W., S. Tancharakorn, C. Rojviriya and U. Bismayer
  Artefacts from Ban Chiang, Thailand: Pre-metal Age cord-marked pottery
  Z. Kristallogr., 238 233-241, 2023
  https://doi.org/10.1515/zkri-2023-0015

Future publication (2026)

• Bismayer U., W. Tanthanuch, S. Tancharakorn, C. Rojviriya, S. Srilomsak, K. Suriyatham
  Ceramic Artefacts from Ban Chiang, Thailand: X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform Infrared and tomography study.
  JARC PROCEEDINGS, University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon, Africa,
  LAMBERT Academic Publishing, in print