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Community diversity at Ban Lum Khao, Thailand: Isotopic evidence from the skeletons

Bentley, R.A.; Cox, K.; Tayles, N.; Higham, C.; Macpherson, C.; Nowell, G.; Cooper, M.; Hayes, T.E.F.

Community diversity at Ban Lum Khao, Thailand: Isotopic evidence from the skeletons Thumbnail


Authors

R.A. Bentley

K. Cox

N. Tayles

C. Higham

G. Nowell

M. Cooper

T.E.F. Hayes



Abstract

Isotopes of strontium, carbon, and oxygen were analyzed in human tooth enamel from the Bronze Age site of Ban Lum Khao (c. 1400 B.C.–500 B.C.) in Thailand. The strontium and oxygen isotopes, which generally reflect place of origin, delimit discrete groups among the individuals. Among the females, different groups determined through isotopic signatures were buried with distinctive pottery types. This suggests that social identity, drawn from village of origin, was conveyed by material culture, at least in burial. Although Ban Lum Khao was probably an egalitarian community, this isotopic and archaeological evidence suggests that different social identities were associated with place of childhood origin in this Bronze Age community.

Citation

Bentley, R., Cox, K., Tayles, N., Higham, C., Macpherson, C., Nowell, G., …Hayes, T. (2009). Community diversity at Ban Lum Khao, Thailand: Isotopic evidence from the skeletons. Asian Perspectives: The Journal of Archaeology for Asia and the Pacific, 48(1), 79-97. https://doi.org/10.1353/asi.0.0017

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2009
Deposit Date Oct 15, 2009
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Asian Perspectives
Print ISSN 0066-8435
Electronic ISSN 1535-8283
Publisher University of Hawaii Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 48
Issue 1
Pages 79-97
DOI https://doi.org/10.1353/asi.0.0017

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Copyright Statement
© 2009 by the University of Hawai'i Press.





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