An interpretation of building structures and their implications for social stratification at the site of Ban Non Wat, Thailand : a GIS analysis of prehistoric post-holes

Abstract

In order to understand prehistoric behaviors through the field of archaeology, it may first be necessary to determine the social structure, as well as the political and economic growth of that society over time. Culture change may be displayed in a number of ways, including changes in pottery type, the presence or absence of materials such as copper and iron, or mortuary context and practices. According to Flannery (2002), social and economic evolution may be displayed in the archaeological record by changes in the shape and size of domestic structures. Excavations at the site of Ban Non Wat have revealed occupations covering a span of over 4000 years, ranging from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. During these excavations, thousands of post-holes were evident in the stratigraphic context of the site. Using a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) application, a general overlay of post-hole patterns per occupation level can be examined. By then deducing which of these post-holes had been dug during later occupations, patterns and changes in structure types over time can be investigated. This paper examines the apparent structural transformations at the site of Ban Non Wat, and compares them to other indications of social, physical, and economic change that have previously been revealed.