Skip to main content
Book cover

Rock Art and Sacred Landscapes pp 67–84Cite as

Rock Art and the Sacred Landscapes of Mainland Southeast Asia

Part of the One World Archaeology book series (WORLDARCH,volume 8)

Abstract

Across mainland Southeast Asia, rock art sites often coexist with sacred shrines and temples of Buddhism and Hinduism. We examine the coexistence of rock art with religious shrines in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The rock art of Southeast Asia has rarely been directly dated, but most of them are thought to be from the prehistoric period. The introduction of Buddhism and Hinduism in the early Christian Era (CE) reconfigured these painted landscapes for their own use, where they are still in use today, either in harmony or as indifference to the earlier rock art. Is this coexistence confluence or coincidence? We discuss the various commonalities and differences among these sites and suggest that these sites may always have been regarded as “powerful” or “spiritual” sites in one way or another.

Keywords

  • Religious Activity
  • Stone Tool
  • Sandstone Formation
  • Rock Shelter
  • Buddha Statue

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-8406-6_5
  • Chapter length: 18 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-1-4614-8406-6
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Fig. 5.1
Fig. 5.2
Fig. 5.3
Fig. 5.4
Fig. 5.5
Fig. 5.6
Fig. 5.7

References

  • Aubert, M., O’Connor, S., McCulloch, M., Mortimer, G., Watchman, A., & Richer-Laflèche, M. (2007). Uranium-series dating rock art in East Timor. Journal of Archaeological Science, 34, 991–996.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Aung, T. (1971). The “Neolithic” culture of the Padah-lin Caves. Asian Perspectives, 14, 123–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, G. L. (1999). Buddhist landscapes of East Asia. In W. Ashmore & A. B. Knapp (Eds.), Archaeologies of landscape: Contemporary perspectives. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulbet, J. (1979). Le Phnom Kulen Et Sa Région. Paris: Ecole Francaise D’Extreme Orient.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faulstich, P. (1988). From ashes to gravestones: The Charcoal drawings of Gua Badak, Malaysia. In C. Pearson & B. K. Swartz (Eds.), Rock art and posterity. Melbourne, VIC: Australian Rock Art Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garnier, F. (1873). Voyage d’exploration en Indo-Chine, Le Tour du Monde. Paris: Hachette et Cie.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heng, T. (2011). Kulen Mountain Rock Art: An Initial Assessment. SPAFA Journal, 21, 29–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higham, C., & Thosarat, R. (2012). Early Thailand. Bangkok: River Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessup, H. I. (2008). The rock shelter of Peuong Kumnu and Visnu Images on Phnom Kulen. In E. A. Bacus, I. C. Glover, & P. D. Sharrock (Eds.), Interpreting Southeast Asia’s past: Monument, image and text. Singapore: NUS Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miksic, J. N. (2007). Historical dictionary of Southeast Asia. Lanham, MA: Scarecrow Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mokhtar, S., & Taçon, P. S. C. (2011). The recent rock drawings of Lenggong Valley, Perak, Malaysia. Antiquity, 85, 459–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, E. H. (2007). Early landscapes of Myanmar. Bangkok: River Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munier, C. (1998). Sacred rocks and Buddhist caves in Thailand. Bangkok: White Lotus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark, M. T. (2004). Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian Cambodia. In I. Glover & P. Bellwood (Eds.), Southeast Asia: From prehistory to history. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sukkham, A., Taçon, P. S. C., & Tan, N. H. (2011). Rock art of Phrayanaga (Viking) cave, Southern Thailand: The illustration of ancient vessels. Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage, 8–12 November 2011, Manila, Philippines. The MUA Collection.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taçon, P. S. C. (2011). Kulen Mountain rock art: An initial assessment and report to APSARA, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Gold Coast, QLD: Griffith University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taçon, P. S. C., Aung, D. Y. Y., & Thorne, A. (2004). Myanmar prehistory: Rare rock-markings revealed. Archaeology in Oceania, 39, 138–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taçon, P. S. C., & Tan, N. H. (2012). Recent rock art research in Southeast Asia and Southern China. In P. Bahn & N. Franklin (Eds.), Rock art news of the World IV (pp. 207–214). Oxford: Oxbow Books.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The bulk of the data gathered for this research was funded by the Australian National University as part of Tan’s Ph.D. research. Griffith University partly funded Taçon’s research in Cambodia and Thailand. Several government agencies have been instrumental in facilitating the research, namely, the Apsara Authority (Cambodia); the National Research Council of Thailand and the Fine Arts Department (Thailand); the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (Laos); and the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library of the Ministry of Culture (Myanmar). Thanks also to Jutinach Bowonsachoti, Gem Boyle, David Brotherson, Ea Darith, Nicholas Gani, Heng Piphal, Heng Than U Hla Shwe, Im Sokrithy, Khieu Chan, Lagh Udam Ransei, U Man Thit Nien, Amphone Monephachan, Muong Chan Raksmey, Sakada Sakhouen Duangpond Kanya Singhasen, Atthasit Sukkham, Watinee Tanompolkrang, Sulatt Win, Charmaine Wong, the Robert Christie Centre of the University of Sydney, and the Archaeology Unit of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

    Noel Hidalgo Tan

  2. Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

    Noel Hidalgo Tan

  3. PERAHU, School of Humanities, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Queensland, Australia

    Paul S. C. Taçon Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Noel Hidalgo Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul S. C. Taçon Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Noel Hidalgo Tan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Archaeological Research Facility, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA

    Donna L. Gillette

  2. Greer Services Archaeological Consultants, Casper, Wyoming, USA

    Mavis Greer

  3. Panamerican Consultants, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Michele Helene Hayward

  4. Social Sciences, University of Monterrey, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo León, Mexico

    William Breen Murray

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tan, N.H., Taçon, P.S.C. (2014). Rock Art and the Sacred Landscapes of Mainland Southeast Asia. In: Gillette, D., Greer, M., Helene Hayward, M., Breen Murray, W. (eds) Rock Art and Sacred Landscapes. One World Archaeology, vol 8. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8406-6_5

Download citation