An Archaeolgical Application of synthetic Radar (SAR) in Thailand
Tsuneaki Shimoji
Assistant professor Dr. Punnee Wara-aswapati chair of remote sensing,
Suranaree university of technology nakhon ratchasima 30000,Thailand
Tel ./Fax :66-44-216101
E-mail: punnee@sural.sut.ac.Th
Abstract
An archaeological site has been identified in northeastern Thailand using airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) . The site consist of a pair of concentric ancient moats or canals which one surrounded an ancient town called "Muang Ham Hork " Near Ban Rai, Tambol Ban Khwao,Aamphoe Ban Khwao, Changwat Chaiyaphum. The siteenclosed by the moat is approximately 1.6Kmin diameter.It is estimated that the site dates from the Dvaravati period (1,200-1,600 BP). Today, the site is covered by cultivated land , and now only a few earth wall and moats remain in the eastern part of the town. A part of a high wall or gates appears in the south ,where a red sandstone Buddhist altara with the size of 2 m . 0.60m .*0.30m .was found on the top of the remaining wall , and broken pottery was also found at the area of the site .
The SAR data was collected by the Canada Center for Remote Sensing Convair 580,as part of the joint Canada-Thailand Globe SAR Program .globe SAR is designed to develop SAR expertise in a number of countries around the world, prior to the launch of Canada's Radarsat in 1995. Due to the characteristics of radar, in particularity capability to distinguish between adjacent areas with slightly different levels of soil moisture, it is a most effective in identifying sites such as this one, in tropical or sub-tropicalenviornments. While archaeology was not the prime objective of the GlobeSAR program in this region , the unexpected results will add considerably to Thailand's archaeological inventory. It is planned to review the SAR data from all eight sites in Thailand to determine whether or not other sites or features can be identified.
1.Introduction
Changwat Chaiyaphum, has been a land of civilization since prehistoric times, and more recently since about the 12th Buddhist century, as seen from various Dvaravati type evidences. Most of these traces consist of the "sema" leaves found usually in groups, such as the sema group at Bn Kut Tum, Amphoe Muang, Changwat Chaiyaphum. Later times saw the spread of khmer civilization, as khmer type architecture such as prang ku, Amphoe Muang, Chaiyaphum,
attest [1].
Among the ancient towns of Chaiyaphum, there is one obvious circular shape of an archaeological site, about 20 km. Southwest of Changwat Chaiyaphum , in Amphoe Ban Khwao,
Tambol Bn Khwao near Ban Khwao near Ban Rai, where the ancient town situates, it was named Muang Ham Hork.
2. objective
The objective of this research are:
2.1 To study the ability of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to detect an archaeological site and it's
present land use for the purpose of management and planning.
2.2 To develop and transfer the technology acquired from joint research at the national institutions and CCRS, involving the use of airborne and space borne C- Band SAR data to those engaged in land use management.
2.3 To develop training materials in cooperation with national and regional institution s to promote "SAR Literacy" among professionals and technical staff, both those participating in Globe SAR and others in the region.
