My fascination with Ban Chiang

Ban Chiang, its discovery, its pots, the mystery of its people captivated me from the moment I stumbled on the first pictures of the pots. I drew the images, I searched out all the books I could get my hands on in Bangkok, and continue to look for more information. Despite its deep historical and archeological implications, there is frustratingly little public information, the internet has helped a bit, but not enough. I think I should just warn my readers that I will probably tend to be obsessive with this subject and come back to it again and again.



Ban Chiang is preserved as a World Heritage Site.



The best website on this subject is University of Penn State.

I recently discovered this photo in University of Hawaii's Ban Chiang Gallery





Disappointed that I can't find much deep information from Thai sources apart from touristic info sites.

However, I did find the official site of the Ban Chiang Museum here.



You can find some picutes of Ban Chiang pots shown in these websites below. For me, it is a somewhat sad reminder of all the smuggling that occurred when the dig was first discovered in the 60s. The pots became so much in demand that such good fakes, that were nearly impossible to detect as fakes, were sold. (Note: no connections with the ones shown here.)



Tinny Fishers Antiques

Hundred & One Antiques

Shaw Collection

Vase from Suan Pakard Museum



List of other interesting websites I found related to Ban Chiang:



Image from Met Timeline

Wikipedia page on Ban Chiang

A page of Museum Presentation Association's Exhibit on Prehistoric Thai Ceramics: Ban Chiang In Regional Cultural Perspective

The Crucibles of Ban Chiang, by Dr. William Vernon

A Ban Chiang ritual bell, (most of Ban Chiang's amazing bronze artifacts tends to be overshadowed by the much more interesting pottery)