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Re-evaluating Pleistocene–Holocene occupation of cave sites in north-west Thailand: new radiocarbon and luminescence dating

Journal Article · · Antiquity
DOI:https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2021.44· OSTI ID:1879367
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [3];  [7];  [8];  [8];  [9]
  1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Silpakorn Univ., Bangkok (Thailand)
  3. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  4. Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
  5. Thailand Natural History Museum, Pathum Thani (Thailand)
  6. Univ. of Otago, Dunedin (New Zealand)
  7. Mahasarakham Univ., Kham Riang (Thailand)
  8. Univ. College London (United Kingdom)
  9. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Established chronologies indicate a long-term ‘Hoabinhian’ hunter-gatherer occupation of Mainland Southeast Asia during the Terminal Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene (45 000–3000 years ago). Here, the authors re-examine the ‘Hoabinhian’ sequence from north-west Thailand using new radiocarbon and luminescence data from Spirit Cave, Steep Cliff Cave and Banyan Valley Cave. The results indicate that hunter-gatherers exploited this ecologically diverse region throughout the Terminal Pleistocene and the Pleistocene–Holocene transition, and into the period during which agricultural lifeways emerged in the Holocene. Hunter-gatherers did not abandon this highland region of Thailand during periods of environmental and socioeconomic change.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
1879367
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-19-20094
Journal Information:
Antiquity, Journal Name: Antiquity Journal Issue: 386 Vol. 96; ISSN 0003-598X
Publisher:
Cambridge University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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