Rainfall and circular moated sites in north-east Thailand

The existence of moated mounds in the archaeological record of north-east Thailand has long been known, the majority constructed during the earlier first millennium AD. Despite considerable research, the purpose of the substantial and sometimes multiple moats surrounding raised occupation mounds has...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antiquity 2015-10, Vol.89 (347), p.1125-1138
Main Authors: Scott, Glen, O’Reilly, Dougald
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anthropological research
Archaeology
Datasets
Geography
Hydrology
Iron Age
Morphology
Mounds
Occupations
Precipitation
Rain
Rain and rainfall
Seasons
Statistical analysis
Water storage
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Summary:The existence of moated mounds in the archaeological record of north-east Thailand has long been known, the majority constructed during the earlier first millennium AD. Despite considerable research, the purpose of the substantial and sometimes multiple moats surrounding raised occupation mounds has remained a mystery. Combining locational, hydrological and rainfall data with the archaeological evidence, this study of the moated mounds of the Khorat Plateau seeks to resolve the question through statistical analysis. The results suggest that water storage may have been the primary purpose of the moats, enabling communities to survive dry seasons and droughts.
ISSN:0003-598X
1745-1744
DOI:10.15184/aqy.2015.130