The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. XXIX, Part 1-2, 1936 - Khamkoo
The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. XXIX, Part 1-2, 1936 - Khamkoo
The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. XXIX, Part 1-2, 1936 - Khamkoo
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PT. II] R. 0. \VIXSTEDT 1.59<br />
Patient labour ttnd concentrated study for yea,rs on <strong>the</strong>se problems<br />
coupled with Hystemtttic excavations in <strong>the</strong> thousands <strong>of</strong> lndochiM's<br />
limestone caves will he necessary before we can hope to arrive at a<br />
fuller knowledge on some or all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se puzzling problems. 8o far<br />
one can say that <strong>the</strong> types <strong>of</strong> neojjths found in <strong>Siam</strong>ese Malaya are<br />
all represented among those obtained in British Malaya.<br />
Next Dr. Winstedt tells us about <strong>the</strong> megalithic culture <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Mundas, which somehow reached Malaysia.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are three types <strong>of</strong> megalithic civilizations in South-East<br />
Asia. <strong>The</strong> first is <strong>the</strong> dolmen used as a grave and is found in East<br />
Jtwa and <strong>the</strong> Sunda Islands. <strong>The</strong> stone sarcophagus uJso occurs in<br />
Bali. This type is associated with a late neolithic and <strong>the</strong> bronze<br />
age.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second type uses <strong>the</strong> dolmen, not for burial, but for monuments<br />
iu honour <strong>of</strong> dead chiefs or ancestors. Such monuments are also<br />
found in <strong>the</strong> countries <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nagas and K.uki-Luchai 1111d Chin<br />
tribes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> third type are slab built graves. <strong>The</strong>se are found iu Sumatra,<br />
JaYa, <strong>the</strong> Philippines and in Perak.<br />
As far as <strong>the</strong> reviewer knows, no megalithics <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se three<br />
types have ever been found in <strong>Siam</strong> ; but <strong>the</strong> giant stone jars, called<br />
Thuey <strong>The</strong>vada, on 'l'hung Ohieng Kham in French Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Laos,<br />
may belong to this eultuml circle. Such jars have also been found<br />
in Celebes.<br />
'fhroughout Malaya, Sumatra, Java and <strong>the</strong> lesser Sunda Islands<br />
upright stones or menhirs and rows <strong>of</strong> such, called alignments, are<br />
•jrected in <strong>the</strong> memory <strong>of</strong> deceased ancestors. It is not yet possible<br />
to decide to which <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> abov0 three megaHthic types <strong>the</strong>se menhirs<br />
and alignments belong. 'fhe important 1nonument at Birhela Lima<br />
in Kelantan would indicate that it >vas erected by <strong>the</strong> second wave<br />
<strong>of</strong> megalith builders ·who entered Malaya and Insulinde about 350<br />
B. C. Circles <strong>of</strong> upright stones have been found in two places in<br />
North-East <strong>Siam</strong>, namely one in Ampho' Muang Sams'lb, Changvat<br />
Ubon, at Ban Non Kim, where one sees eight linga-formed stones <strong>of</strong><br />
a height <strong>of</strong> 1.5 m. arranged into two perfect circles; <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r place<br />
is found in Ampho' Phak Bang, Changvat Ohaiyaphum, a little south<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> branch district <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> Ran Yang. Here are 13 large stelaeshaped<br />
stones <strong>of</strong> red sandstone arranged in an ellipsoid circle. One<br />
o£ <strong>the</strong>m bears an inscription in Sa.nscrit which Pr<strong>of</strong>. Cc.edes judges<br />
, . ·,~