2019 Field Season
This year we returned to an area we started investigating in 2018 and were able to expand with multiple trenches to identify an important habitation area near the Prasat Basaet Temple. In our trenches were able to identify features we refer to as floors or occupation surfaces, which include things like animal bones and flat lying sherds. The photo at the left shows one such floor surface with ceramics and a roof tile.
We also expanded another trench that shows strong evidence for metal working, with multiple workshop floors and furnaces. We've also found some artifacts associated with metallurgy, but we are still not sure what kind of metal was being worked in this location. The photo at left shows Cambodian archaeologists Ms. MEAS Sreyneath, Mr. HOEM Pethoeng, local workman Ponleu, and Mr. SUY Pov working on this feature.
Survey
In 2019 we began a program to identify the site's boundaries using GPS. This was work was undertaken by Richard Nicholas, PHORN Sovisal, Kim Eileen Ruf, and HOEM Sela.
Faunal Analysis
We were pleased to welcome Patricia Andrea Cabrera (MA student, University of the Philippines) who is looking at the faunal remains from our project.
Earthenware Ceramics
Dr. Carmen Sarjeant joined our project to help create an earthenware ceramic typology and begin sorting and classifying our ceramics. Here she is joined by University of Oregon graduate student, Tiyas Bhattacharyya (left).
Community Archaeology Day
On Friday June 21, 2019 Pteah Cambodia conducted a community archaeology site visit organized by project member Raksmey Muong. The goal of this project was to engage local stakeholders with their national cultural heritage by teaching them about the archaeological activities taking place near their homes. Stakeholders included local residents (30 people) and grade 9 students from Tapon Secondary School (30 students). Local authorities, including the Provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts of Battambang (PDCFAB), the Official Police of Heritage (OPH), the representative of local community, warmly supported and participated in this event.
The Community Archaeology event was divided into three components: (1) an introductory session in which local heritage authorities introduced visitors to the site and provided a lecture on the importance of preserving cultural heritage; (2) a visit to ongoing field excavations where visitors could observe archaeologists at work; and (3) a visit to the on-site laboratory analysis area, where crew members were washing, packing, inventorying, and analyzing archaeological materials.
Other events during our 2019 field season
Blessing ceremony prior to beginning our 2019 field season.
We took part in filming for a forthcoming documentary from Channel News Asia.
Earthwatch volunteers draw a feature during our 2019 field season.
Earthwatch volunteers work to excavate a trench during our 2019 field season.
We're lucky to be working around the recently restored Basaet temple in Battambang Province.