An Archaeological Study of Ancient Beads from Cambodia

Abstract

Artifacts from cemeteries are important tools for the study of ancient cultures. This is particularly true for periods prior to written records. This research focuses on a sample of artifacts from the Vat Komnou Cemetery, Angkor Borei, Takeo Province, Cambodia that is located in the Mekong Delta The site's occupational sequence ranges from 500 BC to AD 500 . Historians hypothesize, using ancient Chinese documents, which stated that this site was an inland capital of the kingdom ofFunan, which interacted in an extensive sea-trading network expanding from India to China. To address questions about organizational change, which took place in Southeast Asia due to processes oflndianization, I will examine a collection of beads in order to make inferences about trade. The assemblage from Vat Komnou is a significant assemblage because it is presently the largest and best provenienced collection of beads from Southeast Asia. For this research more than 1600 beads from Angkor Borei were processed and documented I also provide background information on the region including, prior research, trading networks, and cultural practices. Most of my energy is focused on describing the bead assemblage. I will complete a database that includes all the compositional information on the beads to investigate whether variation in the bead assemblage reflects organizational change.