TTLV: Types of burial sites found in excavations at the Sepon mine (Lao People's Democratic Republic) from 2008-2019

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name: Daovee SIHANAM.2. Gender:Male

3. Date of birth: 10 /03 /1985   

4. Place of birth:Vientiane Province, Democratic Republic of Laos

5. Decision number for student admission:Decision No. 2964/QD-XHN, dated December 29, 2021, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes in the training process:Are not

7. Thesis title:"Types of burial sites found in excavations at the Sepon mine (Lao People's Democratic Republic) from 2008-2019"

8. Specialization: Archaeology;Code: 8229010.01.

9. Scientific supervisor: Prof. Dr. Lam Thi My Dung and Dr. Nguyen Huu Manh both work at the Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This thesis focuses on the types of burial sites discovered during archaeological excavations at the Sepon copper-gold mine, Lao People's Democratic Republic, between 2008 and 2019. The main findings of the thesis include:

The study area is located within the Sepon copper-gold mine, in Vilaybouly district, Savannakhet province, and extends to several villages in Sepon district (Savannakhet province) and Bua Lapha district (Khammouane province). The geographical location of the area is defined as being between latitudes 16°39'14" and 17°06'05" and longitudes 105°40'24" and 106°36'20". Burial sites are scattered throughout this area, linked to the life and activities of ancient inhabitants, particularly metal mining and processing.

Based on excavation and research results, three main types of burial sites have been identified at the Sepon copper-gold mine: jar burials, pottery burials, and earth burials. Of these, earth burials show the highest frequency of occurrence, reflecting the common burial practices of the ancient Sepon community during different historical periods. Analysis of the structural characteristics, burial customs, and burial artifacts of each type of burial provides insight into their spiritual life and social organization.

Studies of burial types and funerary artifacts at Sepon reveal striking similarities with sites belonging to the Dong Son Culture in Vietnam and other prehistoric cultures in mainland Southeast Asia. This suggests a connection, cultural exchange, and possibly even the movement of population flows in the past. The burial findings contribute to clarifying the cultural history, living habits, beliefs, and community relations of the ancient inhabitants of the Sepon mining area.

11. Practical applications: 

With the research topic "Types of burial sites in excavations at the Sepon mine (Lao People's Democratic Republic) from 2008-2019", the results of this thesis are expected to make a practical contribution to many aspects:

- It provides important archaeological data, enriching our understanding of the cultural history and burial customs of ancient inhabitants in Laos, especially in the central region which has many metal artifacts.

- Contributing to a clearer understanding of the social organization, spiritual life, and cultural relations of the communities that once lived and worked in the Sepon copper-gold mining area.

- Providing scientific data to support the management, preservation, and promotion of archaeological heritage values ​​in the Sepon mine area, which is particularly important in the context of ongoing industrial activities.

- This could serve as a basis for developing educational programs, museum exhibitions, or community-based cultural tourism in the locality, helping the public to better understand the glorious past of this land.

12. Future research directions: 

Although the thesis has achieved certain results, there is still much potential for more in-depth research in the future. Some research directions that could be considered include:

- Conduct a more in-depth analysis of burial artifacts according to different tomb types and periods to better understand socio-economic development and differentiation within the community.

- Applying modern scientific methods such as ancient DNA analysis (aDNA) or strontium isotope analysis on human remains to determine the origin, diet, and migration patterns of the population.

- Conduct more detailed comparative studies with burial sites of the same period in Laos and neighboring countries to further clarify the cultural relationships and influences in the region.

- Expand the scope of research to include other types of archaeological sites from the same period in the Sepon area (if any) to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the lives of the ancient inhabitants.

13. Published works related to the thesis:Do not have

MASTER'S THESIS INFORMATION

1. Student's Full Name:Daovee SIHANAM

2. Gender:Male

3. Date of Birth:March 10, 1985

4. Place of Birth:Vientiane Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic

5. Decision on Student Recognition:Decision No. 2964/QD-XHN, dated December 29, 2021, by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes During the Training Process:None

7. Thesis Title:"Types of Burials in Excavations at the Sepon Mine Site (Lao People's Democratic Republic) from 2008 to 2019"

8. Specialization:Archaeology; Code: 8229010.01

9. Scientific Supervisors:Prof. Dr. Lam Thi My Dung and Dr. Nguyen Huu Manh, both from the Faculty of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of Thesis Results:The thesis focuses on studying the types of burials discovered during archaeological excavations at the Sepon copper-gold mine site in the Lao People's Democratic Republic from 2008 to 2019. The main results of the thesis include:

- The research area is located within the Sepon copper-gold mine, in Vilaybouly District, Savannakhet Province, and extends to several villages in Sepon District (Savannakhet Province) and Bua Lapha District (Khammouane Province). The geographical coordinates of the area range from 16°39'14" to 17°06'05" latitude and 105°40'24" to 106°36'20" longitude. Burial sites are scattered throughout this area, associated with the living and activities of ancient inhabitants, particularly metal mining and crafting.

- Based on excavation and research results, three main types of burials were identified at the Sepon copper-gold mine: jar burials, ceramic burials, and earthen burials. Among these, earthen burials were the most frequently encountered, reflecting the common burial practices of the ancient Sepon community during different historical periods. Analyzing the structural characteristics, burial customs, and accompanying grave goods of each burial type provides deep insights into their spiritual life and social organization.

- The study of burial types and grave goods at Sepon reveals notable similarities with sites belonging to the Dong Son Culture in Vietnam and other prehistoric cultures in mainland Southeast Asia. This suggests cultural interactions, exchanges, and possibly even population movements in the past. The findings on burials contribute to clarifying the cultural history, living customs, beliefs, and communal relationships of ancient inhabitants in the Sepon mine area.

11. Practical Applications:With the research topic "Types of Burials in Excavations at the Sepon Mine Site (Lao People's Democratic Republic) from 2008 to 2019," the thesis results are expected to make practical contributions in various aspects:

- Providing important archaeological materials, enriching the understanding of cultural history and burial practices of ancient inhabitants in Laos, particularly in the central region with numerous metal-related sites.

- Clarifying the social organization, spiritual life, and cultural relationships of the that once lived and worked at the Sepon copper-gold mine in the past.

- Providing scientific data for the management, preservation, and promotion of the archaeological heritage at the Sepon mine area, especially crucial amidst ongoing industrial activities.

- Serving as a basis for developing educational programs, museum exhibitions, or community cultural tourism at the local level, helping the public learn more about the glorious past of this region.

12. Future Research Directions:

Although the thesis has achieved certain results, there remains potential for more in-depth research in the future. Some possible research directions include:

- Conducting deeper analyzes of grave goods by burial type and period to better understand the economic-social development and stratification within the community.

- Applying modern scientific methods such as ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis or strontium isotope analysis on human remains to determine the origins, diets, and migrations of the population.

- Performing more detailed comparative studies with contemporaneous burial sites in Laos and neighboring countries to further clarify cultural relationships and influences in the region.

- Expanding the research scope to include other types of sites from the same period in the Sepon area (if any) for a more comprehensive view of the ancient inhabitants' lives.

13.Published Works Related to the Thesis:None