29,000-Year-Old Human Remains Found in Thailand’s Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
Thai archaeologists have found human remains dating back 29,000 years in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, along with ancient rock paintings. The discovery was made at the Rock Art Cave site in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province and provides an insight into the early human inhabitants of the region.
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, meaning “Mountain with 300 Peaks,” lies 45 kilometres south of Hua Hin. It boasts limestone peaks, unspoiled beaches, scenic viewpoints like Khao Daeng, and caves including Phraya Nakhon with its iconic pavilion. The park also features the Thung Sam Roi Yot Wetland, a rare biodiversity hotspot.
The Fine Arts Department of Thailand (FAD) and the Department of National Parks (DNP), Wildlife, and Plant Conservation revealed that the discovery was made during recent excavations at the cave, which is situated about 125 meters above sea level in the Sam Roi Yot mountain range. The cave has a 9.5-meter-wide entrance that opens into five chambers, three of which contain prehistoric paintings.
Led by the Ratchaburi Fine Arts Office 1 along with park officials, the excavation at the cave started in 2022. The location was historically significant even at that time since it was here that rock paintings were initially seen in the area in 1996. The 2020 prehistoric settlements study resulted in the identification of additional archaeological sites inside the park – including the Rock Art Cave.
During the dig, researchers recovered shells, bones of animals, plant seeds, and human remains located two meters below the ground in the cave. The skeleton of a child thought to be between 6 and 8 years old who died at this age was also examined, and charcoal and shells were studied as well. Charcoal and shell samples were then radiocarbon dated at Beta Analytic Inc. in the US.
Findings indicate the site was inhabited between around 29,000 years ago and about 11,000 years ago. The skeleton, found at a lower level, is at least 29,000 years old and the oldest Homo sapiens remains ever discovered in Thailand. Further analysis is being conducted to determine a more precise age.
Experts indicate that the discovery confirms long-term human habitation in the region and provides insights into prehistoric food and environmental lifestyles. The register shows that early man in the region lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering, using stone, bone, and wood tools. The rock paintings and animal fossils in the cave provide a glimpse of the variform ecosystem then that included forests, grasslands, and wetland.
The period to which the skeleton dates back, known as the Palaeolithic era, coincided with the Ice Age, when glaciers covered much of the Earth and sea levels were significantly lower. At the time, the Gulf of Thailand was part of a larger landmass connected to present-day Indonesia, providing early humans with migration routes.
The find in Khao Sam Roi Yot is a milestone in the study of prehistoric societies in the Gulf of Thailand area. Scientists say it provides an insight into how these people responded to climate fluctuations, from the chilly Ice Age to the period of warming afterward. As sea levels rose, the landscape changed into the rich environment that exists today.
The Department of Fine Arts explained that further excavations and research within the Rock Art Cave and other areas would provide new information on early human migration, social structure, and cultural activities in Southeast Asia.
With this discovery, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park is now a significant site for researching prehistoric Southeast Asia. Archaeologists hope further digs and study will provide more insights into early human life and how it still shapes the cultural heritage of the region.
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