A05_P11

Radiocarbon dating of the ancient canals in the lower Mekong delta,Vietnam

Quang Mien N¹,  Nang Chung T²

¹Institute of Archaeology, Ha Noi, Vietnam, ²Association of Archaeology, Ha Noi, Vietnam

This study presents preliminary results of research on ancient canals near the ancient town of OcEo - BaThe in the lower Mekong delta of southern Vietnam. The canals have been mapped by aerial photograph interpretation and investigated in the field by hand auger drilling and trenching of one of these. The geophysical methods were used: electromagnetic profile and electric resisitivity tomography. The results indicates the base of the canal as well as revealing disturbance and mixing of the canal infill sediments. Radiocarbon dates of the canal bed identify  excavation (or re-excavation) of the canal bed between the first millennium BC and the middle of the first millennium AD. This age is consistent with the time of initial occupation of OcEo-BaThe  in the fourth century BC. Multiple charcoal samples with a pooled age of late sixth to early seventh century AD probably signal the onset of canal infilling. The apparent demise of the canals coincide with a major change in land-use signalled in pollen and diatom data from the regional plain. This tentative chronology will be refined when more canals are investigated and greater precision is achieved in radiocarbon dates as well as combining with other dates.