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'''Tham An Mah''', (''Horse Saddle Cave'') is an archaeological site located in the [[Luang Prabang Province]] of [[Laos]]. The site was initially excavated in 2010 by a joint team of the [[Joyce White|Middle Mekong Archaeological Project]] and the ''Department of Heritage of Laos''. The interior has been almost entirely destroyed by looters, though initial reports suggested the damage was not critical. When the archaeologists returned in 2013, they characterized the site as almost entirely destroyed. Villagers stated that the looters were after the fine sediment inside the cave that could be resold as gardening soil elsewhere.<ref name=":0">[null Lewis, H., J. White, and B. Bouasisengpaseuth. 2015. "A buried jar site and its destruction: Tham An Mah Cave, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR," in ''Advancing Southeast Asian archaeology 2013: selected papers from the First SEAMEO SPAFA International Conference on Southeast Asian Archaeology''. Edited by N. H. Tan, pp. 72-82. Bangkok, Thailand: SEAMEO SPAFA Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts.]</ref> |
'''Tham An Mah''', (''Horse Saddle Cave'') is an archaeological site located in the [[Luang Prabang Province]] of [[Laos]]. The site was initially excavated in 2010 by a joint team of the [[Joyce White|Middle Mekong Archaeological Project]] and the ''Department of Heritage of Laos''. The interior has been almost entirely destroyed by looters, though initial reports suggested the damage was not critical. When the archaeologists returned in 2013, they characterized the site as almost entirely destroyed. Villagers stated that the looters were after the fine sediment inside the cave that could be resold as gardening soil elsewhere.<ref name=":0">[null Lewis, H., J. White, and B. Bouasisengpaseuth. 2015. "A buried jar site and its destruction: Tham An Mah Cave, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR," in ''Advancing Southeast Asian archaeology 2013: selected papers from the First SEAMEO SPAFA International Conference on Southeast Asian Archaeology''. Edited by N. H. Tan, pp. 72-82. Bangkok, Thailand: SEAMEO SPAFA Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts.]</ref> |
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Given the later destruction, only a preliminary analysis of the test excavation is available to provide information on the site. Perhaps most important, is the site's status as one of the stone jar burial sites from iron age Laos, the most famous of which is the [[Plain of Jars]]. The single datable piece of material that has thus far been recorded was from the lowermost portion of the excavation and gave a date of ''c.'' 13,000, which could indicate an earlier site not recorded. The site also included a Buddhist painting on the cave walls that villagers believed was from the 1950s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://seasiabib.museum.upenn.edu:8001/pdf_articles/MMAP%20Reports/2013updateTamAnMah.pdf |title= The Cultural and Natural Heritage of Caves in the Lao PDR: Prospects and Challenges Related to Their Use, |
Given the later destruction, only a preliminary analysis of the test excavation is available to provide information on the site. Perhaps most important, is the site's status as one of the stone jar burial sites from iron age Laos, the most famous of which is the [[Plain of Jars]]. The single datable piece of material that has thus far been recorded was from the lowermost portion of the excavation and gave a date of ''c.'' 13,000, which could indicate an earlier site not recorded. The site also included a Buddhist painting on the cave walls that villagers believed was from the 1950s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://seasiabib.museum.upenn.edu:8001/pdf_articles/MMAP%20Reports/2013updateTamAnMah.pdf |title= The Cultural and Natural Heritage of Caves in the Lao PDR: Prospects and Challenges Related to Their Use, Management and Conservation |publisher=f UPenn Museum |date= |author=Helen Lewis |accessdate= March 15, 2017}}</ref> |
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Management and Conservation |publisher=f UPenn Museum |date= |author=Helen Lewis |accessdate= March 15, 2017}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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location in Laos | |
Alternative name | Horse Saddle Cave |
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Location | Luang Prabang Province |
Region | northern Laos |
Coordinates | 19°53′0.2″N 102°8′4.8″E / 19.883389°N 102.134667°E / 19.883389; 102.134667 |
Type | Cave |
Part of | Pa Hang Mountain |
Length | 40 m (130 ft) |
Width | 30 m (98 ft) |
History | |
Material | limestone, karst |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 2010 |
Archaeologists | Joyce White, Helen Lewis, Middle Mekong Archaeological Project, Department of Heritage of Laos |
Tham An Mah, (Horse Saddle Cave) is an archaeological site located in the Luang Prabang ProvinceofLaos. The site was initially excavated in 2010 by a joint team of the Middle Mekong Archaeological Project and the Department of Heritage of Laos. The interior has been almost entirely destroyed by looters, though initial reports suggested the damage was not critical. When the archaeologists returned in 2013, they characterized the site as almost entirely destroyed. Villagers stated that the looters were after the fine sediment inside the cave that could be resold as gardening soil elsewhere.[1]
Given the later destruction, only a preliminary analysis of the test excavation is available to provide information on the site. Perhaps most important, is the site's status as one of the stone jar burial sites from iron age Laos, the most famous of which is the Plain of Jars. The single datable piece of material that has thus far been recorded was from the lowermost portion of the excavation and gave a date of c. 13,000, which could indicate an earlier site not recorded. The site also included a Buddhist painting on the cave walls that villagers believed was from the 1950s.[1][2]