Knobbed Ware from Archaeological Sites in Thailand: An evidence of Early Exchange between South Asia and Southeast Asia

Abstract

Knobbed ware are a type of vessel with a raised-knob at the base which were found among the artefacts in several archaeological sites in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is perceived that they are evidence of interactions between the two regions during the mid first millennium BCE. A number of knobbed wares, some of which were copper-alloy vessels; others earthenwares were documented at a few archaeological sites in western, central and southern Thailand, which is a part of South and Southeast Asian early exchange network.

This paper focuses on stylistic attributes and materials of the knobbed wares found in these regions. The location as well as physical and cultural characteristics of the archaeological sites are examined to provide some insights into the nature of distribution and exchange. A comparison of the knobbed wares found in Thailand and ones found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia is presented to determine whether the stylistic attributes could help identify the differences between imported vessels and locally-made ones, and if they were imported, where their origins were. The function of this type of vessel will also be discussed.