V N U J O U R N A L O F S C IE N C E , s o c . S C I , H U M A N ., N 01E. 2 0 0 2
J A R B U R I A L S T R A D I T I O N IN S O U T H E A S T A SIA
A. Early period
A.I. Southeast Asian Islands :
This p e rio d w a s d e f in e d u n d e r various term s s u c h a s E a rly N e o lith ic p h a s e an d Late Neolithic p h a s e (B e llw o o d ); L ate N e o lith ic -Jar burial p h a se (F o x ) o r Sto ne to o l-ja r burial (Solheim II); A g ric u ltu ra l S tag e (fo r Ind onesia ) (Soejono)...
T h e re w e re u n c o v e re d a n u m b e r o f sites from this p eriod , w h ic h lo c a te d in P hilippines, Ind o n esia a n d M a l a y s i a (S p rig g s 1989: F i g .l) . H ere we c a n m e n tio n e d s o m e o f th em .
Cave A rku in N orthern L u zo n (Philippines):
It is located in a trib u ta ry o f the C a g a y a n V alley, this site p r o d u c e d a b u ria l a s s e m b la g e dated to b e tw e e n 1500 B C a n d 0. T h e artefacts in cluded s to n e , shell i m p l e m e n ts and o r n a m e n ts and pottery . T h e b u ria ls w ere ap p arently p r im a ry o r s e c o n d a r y , and so m e tim e s d u s te d w ith o re he o r p la c e d in jars.
O n e j a r burial has b e e n r a d io c a r b o n d a te d to about 5 0 0 BC. A c c o r d in g to B eliw o od ( 1 9 8 5 ) it is c le a r that this a s s e m b la g e c o n ti n u e d on to overlap with a m a j o r I n d o - M a la y s i a n jar-bu rial tradition.
L a m T h i M y D z u n g (#)
M a n u n g g u i Cave-Chamber A assemblage in Palawan (Philippines):
T h e re w as yielded a highly sop histicated a s s e m b la g e o f earthenw are burial jars, in clu d in g the n o w fam ous M a n u n g g u l Jar, d a te d by a s so c ia te d charcoal fat the U niv ersity o f C a lifo rn ia at Los A ngeles) to 710 B .c and
890 B.c
(R .F o x1979:233).
T h e e a rlie r j a r burials provided a ran g e o f g ra v e goods, in clu din g ja d e beads and bracelets a n d three agate beads, but no objects o f m etal, g la s s o r c arnelian. T h e pottery vessels d isp la y a re m a rc a b le ex p e rtise including arg u a b ly the m o s t im pressive e x a m p le from Southeast Asia, a vessel 6 6 .5 c m in height, topped by a soul boat tran spo rting aw a y the dead . In a dd ition to this j a r -burial asse m b la g e ị\ w as uncov ered a r ed -slip p e d bowl w ith ring stand (Solheim II 1966: PI.Ia). A ssociated with it were a small s te p p e d daze, a sc o o p m ad e from the M clo s hell, sm all green -sto n e beads, and a few beads m a d e o f the c o m m o n N a ssarius shell.
It is seem s that C h a m b e r A asse m b la g e p rov ide d the evidences for the b e g in n in g s o f the j a r burial tradition at the b e g in n in g o f the
Dr., Department of History, College of Social Sciences & Humanities, VNU
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Jill burials tradition 111 Southeast Am.I 45
first m ille n n iu m B.C. o n the basis o f two r a d io c a rb o n dates m e n tio n e d above. T his a s s e m b la g e co ntained no m etal. T h e p o tte ry is fine and includes both c o r d - m a r k in g and c arv ed p a d d le im p ression s as a sig n ificant e le m e n t o f surface tre a tm e n t. A c c o r d in g to Fox, cord and paddle im p re sse d s urface treatm en t w as w id esp read III the e x tr e m e s outh e rn Philippines but a b sen t or rare in central and northern P hilippines.
Be 11 w ood has in d ic a te d that in this a s se m b la g e there is at least o n e p otte ry c o ffin , and so m e vessels have r e d -p a in te d c u rv ilin e a r d e sig n s e n c lo se d by in cise d lin e s-a te c h n iq u e well re p re sen te d in the E a rly M etal sites in Sabah, and also in the Sa H u y n h c u ltu re in southern V ie tn a m . T h e re fo re he feels that the a b sen c e o f m etal is not reliab le in d ic a to r o f a Neolithic date. Like all j a r b urial c a v e s this o n e also distribu ted and the j a r s s m a s h e d , a n d the carbo n d a te s need not n e c e s s a rily da te the ja r burial event (B ellw ood 1985:31 i). H o w e v e r, it is noting that, here is a d a te d M etal A g e a sse m b la g e from the a d ja c e n t C h a m b e r B o f M ann u n g u l. T h e artefact a s s e m b la g e s o f tw o C h a m b e rs, with m etal and g la s s o n ly in B, d o support that the C h a m b e r A burial ja r a sse m b la g e is older. T h e d e c o r a te d p ottery was therefore s o m e tim e b e tw e en 3 0 0 0 a n d 2 1 0 0 BP ( M Spriggs 1 989:606-607).
Burial in large e a rth e n w a re jars, e ith e r prim ary o r s e c o n d a ry o r both, are a d ia g n o s tic feature o f the term inal p h a s e o f the Late Neolithic in the Philip p in es. T h e s e are generally found in lim esto ne ca v es n e a r the
coast; c a v e s th e m o u th s o f w h ic h o v e rlo o k the sea. N e o lith ic j a r b u ria ls, h o w e v e r, have been found in in te rio r o p e n sites o f central L uzon, in N ueva E ciji p r o v in c e ( R .F o x 1 97 9:2 34 -235 ).
T h e s a m e k ind o f sites ( s to n e to o l-ja r burials bv S o lh e im ) is a ls o r e c o g n i z e d in Rato, Sorsogon, M ataas, M isib is, M arinduque...
( W .S o lh e im ll 1980: 3-9).
West M outh (it S ia h in Sarawak (Malaysia):
D u rin g th e N e o lith ic , an in n e r p ortion o f the cave was used for burial purposes. T here were u n c o v e re d a b o u t 130 b u ria ls, b o th c re m a tio n s and burnt s e c o n d a r y b u r ia ls h ave b een asserted in a d d itio n to the o t h e r f u n e ra l rites.
A c c o r d in g to B eIIw ood ( 1 9 8 5 :2 5 7 ) there were r e c o g n iz e d th re e m a i n p e rio d s o f funeral prac tic e s at N ia h :
/. P re ce ra rn ic e x t e n d e d b u ria ls in coffins or b a m b o c a s k e ts , a n d c o n ti n u in g flexed burials ( 4 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 0 BC).
2. 2 0 0 0 BC ( o r la te r ?) e x te n d i n g to an u ncertain point, p e r h a p s late in th e first m ille n n iu m BC, c h a r a c te r is e d by c o n tin u in g e x te n d e d b u rials, n e w ly a p p e a r in g c re m a tio n s, j a r burials, a n d p o tte ry ( in c lu d in g the d o u b l e sp o u te d form ).
3. C o m e s th e E a r ly M e ta l p h a s e , w hich pro b a b ly p o s td a te s A D I at N ia h , a sso c ia te d with the s a m e c o n t i n u i n g b uria l fo rm s, c o p p er, and perhaps textiles.
T h e c o lla g e n d a te s for th ese bu ria ls range b e tw e e n a b o u t 2 1 0 0 a n d 7 0 0 BC. T w o burial jars d a te d to a b o u t Ỉ 5 0 0 BC (b u ria l 6 9, and from burnt w o o d w ith b u ria l 159) a n d a n o th e r
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burial j a r d a te d to a b o u t 7 5 0 B C (bu rial 6 7) (B ellw ood 1985: 2 5 6 - 2 5 7 ; F ig 8.7). But as Spriggs (1 9 8 9 ) h a s s h o w n , th e c h ro n o lo g ic a l f ra m ew o rk th e re is u n a c c e ta b le . All r a d io c a rb o n d a te s are o n l y r e f e re n c e d to a bso lu te d e p th , r a d i o c a r b o n a g e s for the site w ere rare ly p ro p e rly re p o r te d . F o r in sta n c e the date 4 0 7 0 + /- 7 0 B P fo r a level s u p p o s e d ly s ealing in the N e o lith ic d e p o s its at N ia h C av e first rep o rted by H a r r i s s o n in 1959 a n d q u o te d by ev e ry c o m m e n t a t o r o n th e site s in c e that time. T h e re is in fac t n o s u c h d a te fro m N ia h (M .S p rig g s 1 98 9 :6 0 3 ). T h e o t h e r p r o b le m is the m ix i n g - u p o f th e d e p th s a n d p la c e s o f the taking s a m p le s ( M .S p rig g s 1989: 60 3 ).
G lo v e r ( 1 9 7 9 -.177-178) h a s s h o w n that it is difficult to d i s c o v e r fro m th e m a n y prelim in a ry p u b lic a tio n s o n
the N ia h C a v e e x c a v a tio n s ex a ctly w h e n p o tte ry first
app ears in the
a rc h a e o lo g ic a l s e q u e n c e there, and its s u b s e q u e n t d e v e lo p m e n t. F o r in sta n c e , on o n e h a n d Ciolson c o n c lu d e d that th e e a rlie s t pottery, at the 2 4 in. level, m ig ht a p p e a r as lo n g as 8.0 0 0 years ago. O n the
o th e r h a n d , it is c le a r f ro m B a rb a ra H a r r i s s o n ’s a n a ly sis that the e a rlie s t o f th e n e o lith ic ' burials in the c e m e te r y a re a , w h ic h in c lu d e s m o s t o f the p ottery , m u s t be d a te d to 5 0 0 B . c or after; and at least tw o o f th e s e b u ria ls c o n ta in b ro n ze o r c o p p e r tools. In a d d itio n to pottery d a ta he re I w a n t to e m p h a s i z e this
a m o n g the potery assem blage two distinctive types (both form and decoration) w e r e reco gn ized, l i e s e included d o u b le -s p o u te d vessel and thn e-c o lo ur ware vessel. It is said that th e p o ts h r d s o f double-spouted v e s se ls were fo und wth j a r burials (Bellwood 1985:
25 7; fig 8.5;8.0.
T h e most that c a n be inferred fro m the early excavatim s is that there was p r o b a b ly a N eolithic cen ete ry there in corporating ja r burial, a tradiion w hich becam e w id e s p re a d d u rin g the Braize A ge, and which m ig h t d ate back into the e c o n d m illennium BC ( H ig h a m
1996: 301).
A .I I . E a r l y p e r i o d - C e n t r a l a n d S o u t h V i e t n a m :
It in c lu d s o v e r 2 0 sites, w h ich were ran g e d from cDout 3 5 0 0 BP to 2 7 0 0 /2 6 0 0 BP at the s a m e spa o f tim e as the C h a m b e r A o f M a n n u n g u l "av e -P a la w an and N eolithic C e m e te ry at iiah Cave-Saraw ak. T h e s e were o c c u p a tio n -s its o r o c c u p atio n -b u ria i sites.
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Jar burials tradition in Southeast Asia 47
M etal and glass artifacts have not yet been found. The urn burials (ex cep t the infant pot- burial) were o f various kinds o f jar o r pot with the lids in form o f the o th e r pot o r pedestal vessel, in some cases, there w ere u n c o v e re d the spherical I d s covered the e g g -s h a p e d jars.
Som e j a r burials c o n ta in e d n othing, but in the o thers there were p rovided the g ra v e goods, which incluJe the stone im p lem e n ts, o r n a m e n ts and pottery vessels. The o c c u p a tio n sites are located on l ie sand d u n e o r slo w m o u n d o r hill n earby the water so urces, the j a r b u ria ls alw ays have been b u n d within the s e ttle m en ts. T h ere were found :he occup ation -hu rial site from this period on the Island Cti Lao Chain, Q u an g Nam province and Island Ly Son, Q uang Ngai province.
W hile c o m p a ring tw o a s s e m b la g e s o f Central Vietnam an d Southeast Isla n d s we can see very clearly that th eir c o m m o n traits w ere the funeral rites, especially th e u sin g pottery vessel as the coffins, so m e s im ila r w a y s o f pottery surface treatm ent and it is p o ssib le that stone implements a ls o sha re d s o m e sim ilarities.
But between them there w ere not single difference, particularly in the potterv form s and stone tools and o rnam en ts. Infact, th e re are not m u c h oppotinitics to o b se rve the d a ta from Southeast Is antis jai-burials sites, blit these ones we coulJ see o f the p u b lic a tio n s led us to the opinions that in tw o are a s there w ere e stab lish ed a id d evelo p ed the d istin c t c u ltu ra l traditions w i n own c h a ra c te ris tic s in e a c h and their similarities m ig h t be the results o f e x c h an g e s anJ m u ltifo rm re la tio n sh ip s than the people s movements.
H ere we w a n t to giv e s u p p le m e n ta ry m a te ria ls g a th e r e d from the h ight p late au in S o u th e rn part o f V i e tn a m - th e 'T a y N tytyen area". In this a re a th ere w e re rec o g n iz e d 48 sites, w h ic h b e lo n g to the L ate N e o lith ic -E a rly M etal A g e . A c c o r d in g to re s e a rc h r s from H a n o i Institu te o f A r c h a e o l o g y , these site c o u ld be d e v id e d into tw o s u b -p h a s e s . The e a rlie r is c h a ra c te r iz e d by the p r e s e n c e o f s h o u ld e re d and q u a d r a n g u l a r a x e s a n d adzes with sm a ll o r a v e ra g e m e a s u r e s , c o r d - m a r k e d , in cised c o a rs e pottery. In s o m e c a s e s w e c a n see a n d a p liq u e o r p u n c tu a te d d e c o ra tio n . T h e s ton e h o e s r a re ly o c c u rr e d a n d all o f th e m are sm all. T h e j a r b u ria ls a ls o have been u nc o v e re d . T h e c o ff in v e s se ls are g l o b u la r pots, the j a r s are j o in e d m o u th to m o u th a n d placed ve rtica lly in the g r o u n d . T h e latte r o n e , beside these fea tu re s, th e re w e re y ie ld e d the large stone h o e s , big j a r b u ria ls, m o u ld s for b ron ze castin g . W e w is h to e m p h a s i z e that H ig h Plateau in S o u th e rn part o f V ie tn a m is the h o m e la n d o f n u m b e r o f m i n o r e th n ic g ro u p s w h ic h b e lo n g b o th to A u s tro a s ia tic and A u s tro n e s ia n l a n g u a g e fam ilies. T h e usin g o f ja r as a burial c o f f in is c o m m o n p h e n o m e n o n in this period fo r the large a re a w h ic h e x te n d e d from m o u n ta in to c o a sta l re g io n s in* C en tral and part o f S o u th e rn V ie tn a m .
B. L a t e p e r i o d :
B.I.. S o u t h e a s t A s i a n I s l a n d s :
T h is p e rio d a ls o w a s te r m e d d iffe re n tly a m o n g the a rc h a e o lg is ts s u c h as E a rly M etal
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P h ase (B ellw o o d ); E a r ly M e ta l A g e and D e v e lo p ed M e ta l A g e ( F o x ), C r a f t s m a h s h i p Stage (fo r I n d o n e s ia ) (S oejon o )...
Sites o f this p e riod are far m o r e n u m e r o u s th an the e a rlie r N e o lith ic sites. It is w o rth y to note that j a r burial is o n ly o n e o f several funeral s tru c tu re s o r c o n ta in e r s , w h ic h w ere rec o g n iz e d o n the Isla n d s b e lo n g in g to the last m ille n n iu m B . c
Indones ia:
U rn burials are k n o n w at A n y a r in w est Java; N g r a m b e in e a st Ja v a; T e b in g tin g g i in sou th Sum atra; N ia h in S a r a w a k ( n o w E a s te rn M a la y a ); G i l im a n u k a n d C e k ik in w e st Bali;
Sa'bang in c e n tra l S u la w e s i; S a la y a r Island; and M e lo lo in S u m b a ; P l a w a n g a n in n o rth -c e n tra l Jav a...T h e d is trib u tio n is a lr e a d y q u ite w id e but urn-fields are c o n f i n e d to c o a sta l distric ts (G lo v er 1979:180). T h e p ra c tic e o f j a r burial was p r e d o m in a n t m a in ly in th e m o r e e a ste rly parts o f In d o n e s ia , but in m a n y o f th e so u th e rn I n d o n e s ia n sites the j a r b u ria ls o c c u r to g h e th e r with e x te n d e d b u ria ls, as n o te d in se c tio n VI B for the sites o f P la w a n g a n in J a v a (B e llw ood 198 5 :3 04 ) a n d G i l i m a n u k in Bali (P. S o e jo n o 1 9 7 9 :1 86 -1 98 ).
Philipp ines:
Jar b u ria ls are u n c o v e re d at K a la n a y , M a k a b o g , B a tu n g a n in M a s b a te ; San N a r c is o in T a y a b a s , M a n u n g g u l C a v e ( C h a m b e r B), west- central c o a st o f P a la w a n ; M a it u m in M in d a n a o ...
B e llw o o d a rg u e that the j a r burial tradition is se e n at its m o s t elaborate in th e islands a ro u n d the C e le b e s and Sulu Seas (Northern B orneo, T a l a u d , Central and Southern P h ilip p in e s ), a n d h ere it involved the placing o f p re v io u s lv - e x p o s e d seco nd ary burials in large ja rs or b o n e -b o x e s provided with lids. T h e jars w e re p la c e d e ith e r o n the floors or fairly rem o te c a v e s o r in pits dud into o p e n sites.
T h e s ite s a ro u n d the C e le b es and Sulu Seas-the T a b o n C aves, the " K alanay" sites, and the sites o f e a s te rn Sab ah and T a la u d -d o share very c lo s e ly related pottery a s se m b la g e s with iron an d c o p p e r/b ro n z e d u rin g the first m il lle n n iu m A D . J a r burial is the p redom inan t rite in this regio n, and a n o th e r c o m m o n c h a ra c te ris ic s is sm all pottery bone box (B ellw o od 1985:314).
M atiungul Cave sừe- Chamber B (Palawan):
Jar burial sites have b e e n e x cav ated in the E arly M e ta l A g e in P hilip p ines w hich include in the a s s e m b la g e o f artefacts both socketed bronze ad zes, sm a ll trapezoidal o r q ua dra nglar stone a d z es an d p o ssib ly iron. C h arco al from M a n u n g g u l C ave ( C h a m b e r B), associated with thirty f ra g m en ts o f iron o bjec ts, yielded a c 14 d e te rm in a tio n o f 2 1 4 0 + /- 1 0 0 B .p o r 190 B.C.
H o w e v e r Fox g a v e th e 5 0 0 B . c d ate for the e a rly m e ta ls -b ro n z e an d c o p p e r-fo u n d in the P a la w a n caves (F o x 1979:238).
T h is a s s e m b la g e p r o d u c e d iron, glass bracelets, glass an d c a rn e lia n be a d s, and also five acid -etc h e d a g a te b e a d s s im ila r to those from Buidane. C o p p e r o r bronze item s occur in oth er j a r burial c a v e s in the area, and include
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s o ck eted a x e s and s p e arh e a d s, a tan g e d a n d barb ed arro w h e a d , an d a po ssib le b a rb e d harpoon. A x e casting m o u ld s , gold heads, and jade lingling'O earrings have a lso b een found.
A fter an aly sis Be 11 wood has s u g g e ste d that the T a b o n (i.e. M a n u n g u l) ja r burial s e q u e n c e will rese m b le the se q u e n c e from the Sabah sites a n d belong m ain ly in the first m ille n n iu m A D (Be 11 wood 1985: 312).
M ost o f j a r burials sites in E a ste rn M alaysia, E a ste rn Ind o n esia, T a la u Islands, Sabah, Central and S o u th ern Philip p ines, Southern Ind o nesia a n d Sulaw esi su c h as Leang Buidane, A g o p Atas, P u s u s a m a n g , Bukit Ten g k o rak , M a g su h o t, M e lo lo ...w e re d a te d m ain ly in the first m ille n n iu m A .D . (Be 11 w o o d
1985: 3 01-316).
M ailum t Saranggani Province in M indanao:
In 1991, a n th ro p o m o rp h ic s e c o n d a r y burial jars were d isc o v e red in A y u b C a ve , Pinol, M a itu m . T h e site had b e e n d a te d to 8 3 0 + /-6 0 B.p. (calibrated d ate o f A .D .7 0 to 370) and 1 920+ /-50 B.p. (cai.date o f 5 B.C. to A .I).225). T h e rad io c arb o n d a te s w e re o b ta in e d from the soot s a m p le s taken fro m the sm a ll e arth en w are vessel found inside o n e o f the a n th ro p o m o rp h ic burial jar. T h e s e burial ja r s are m ad e o f e a rth e n w a re d e s ig n e d a n d fo rm e d like h u m a n fig ures with c o m p le te facial characteristics . T h e s e w ere a s s o c ia te d w ith m etal im p lem e n ts; g la s s b ead s a n d bracelets;
shell spoon, scoop, b racelets a n d p e n d a n ts;
earth enw are p otte rie s with incised d e s ig n s and cut-out foot-rings; n o n a n th r o p o m o r p h i c burial jars (A rchaeolo gy ).
G ilim a n u k y n o r th -w e s te rn B a li:
E x c a v a tio n s at G i l i m a n u k in 1963, 1964 a n d m o re r e c e n tly in 1973, p r o d u c e d e v id e n c e o f co a sta l s e ttle m e n t d u r in g late p reh isto ric tim e s ( R .P .S o e jo n o 1 97 9 :1 8 5 ). Selective e x c a v a tio n c a r r ie d o u t in 1963 o n three s e c to r s p r o d u c e d e n c o u r a g in g results. Beside re m n a n ts o f p o ttery a n d shell a n u m b e r o f bu rials, a m o n g th e m a d o u b le urn burial, were re c o v e re d a lm o s t intact. J a r burial is o n e o f the fo ur m a in s y s te m s re c o g n iz e d at the site. U rn bu ria ls ( fo u th s y s te m ) o c c u rr e d o n ly tw ice at the G i l im a n u k site, bu t a re u n iq u e b e c a u s e o f the use o f d o u b l e j a r s as a fu n era l m e d iu m . A c c o r d in g to S o e jo n o ( 1 9 7 9 :1 9 5 - 1 9 6 ), t h e c u s to m o f u s in g d o u b l e j a r s did not exist a n y w h e r e in I n d o n e s ia , e x c e p t at G ilim a n u k . T h e d o u b l e j a r b u ria ls at G i l im a n u k w ere d e s c r ib e d as follow :
T h e ja r s arc jo in e d m outh to m outh cmd p la c e d vertica lly in the g ro u n d. T h e lo w e r ja r, which is bigger than on e on to p, co n ta in ed a seco n d a ry b u ria l o f a sin g le p ea rso n . S keletons in tlie ja r s o f G iỉim a n u k w ere n o t fu r n is h e d with gifts. V e ry in terestin g w as th e d isco ve ry o f evid en t hum an sa crifice in co n n ec tio n w ith ja r b u ria l here. A skele to n in p ro stra te po sitio n w as fo u n d b elo w a d o u b le ja r. T h e skull s q u e e ze d b a ckw a rd s, the elb o w s p u lle d to w a rd s the b a ck, a n d the legs fo ld e d b ackw a rd s, s e e m e d to in d ica te inten tio n a l killing. T he p la c in g o f skele to n s in ja r s seem s to h a ve been c a rrie d o u t in a fe w ca ses o f d ece a se d p e rso n s o f p ro m in e n t status. The sa crificed p erso n w as p resu m a b ly in ten d ed to
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acco m p an y the em in en t d ecea sed on his journey to the hereafter (Soejono 1979:196-197).
E x c e p t these, a m o n g the potshards, u n c o v e re d at the site th ere w ere s h e rd s o f more th an usual th ic k n e ss a n d rec o g n ize d as the f ra g m e n ts o f ja rs . Several b ro k e n s p e cim en s of this kind o f pottery c o n ta in e d disintegrated h u m a n s k e le to n s. T his ind icates that jars had a s u p p le m e n ta ry functio n as burial jars ( S o e jo n o l 9 7 9 : 192).
T h e a s s e m b la g e s o f g rav e g o o d s o f burials fro m Clilim anuk have sh o w n the pottery a p p a re n tly like that from Buni. O th e r gra\e - g o o d s in clu d e s o ck eted bronze a xes o f a localised h e a rt-s h a p e d form , a tanged iron s p e a rh e a d , an iron d a g g e r with a bronze h a n d e (like M a in la n d Sou theast A sia bim etallic f o m s from Ban C h ia n g , S h izh aishan, G o M a Voi, D on g Son, C u o n g Ha), b eads og gold, glaỉS a n d c a rn e lia n , a n d a ra n g e o f o th e r item s of w h ich go ld e y e co vers like th o se o f the Bm i c o m p le x are the m ost striking. N o stone tods w e re found w ith the bu rials, and as a w hole tie a s s e m b la g e m a y belong to the e a rly o r mil-fi'St m ille n n iu m A D ( B e l l w o o d 1985:301).
B.I. Central an d Southern Vietnam:
It in c lu d e s o v er 7 0 sites, w h ich W ir e ran g e d from a b o u t 2 6 0 0 BP to I AD. Alrrust are j a r burial sites, located on the san d u n e )r s lo w hill and m o u n d alo n g the coastal and ri\er o r the old flow or river. T h e re w ere ako u n c o v e re d the j a r burials o n the islands.
T h e iron and b ro n ze artifacts were c o m m o n a m o n g the grave go o ds. T h e re were rev e a le d the e v id e n c e s o f local iron a n d g la s
m a k in g . A great n u m b e r o f bronze im p lem e n ts, s h o w n the closed relationships with D o n g Son cu ltu re to the North. In th e final stage (I, II. BC
to I. AD), the H a n C h in a in flue nce s were sfrong, these m igh t bé c a m e by the political w ay, at this jun ctu re, n o rth e rn and central parts o f Central V ie tn a m w e re H a n D istrict "N h a t N ơm ".
Since 1975 a fu rth e r 1000 burials o f th e Sa H u y n h culture, dating fro m the p eriod o f 6 0 0 B C -1 0 0 A D have b e e n re c o rd e d a n d excav ated . N e w regions with n u m e r o u s sites that c a n be recogn ised as local g ro u p s o r se ttle m e n t cores have becom e k n o w n th ro u g h this research . The areas in C an G io district, S o u th e as t o f Sai G on a n d Hoi A n (L a m T h i M y D z u n g 1998) and in
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Q uc Lot and Duy X uyen d istricts in Q uang N am province (keiiK'cke, N g u y e n C h icu and Lam Thi M y D zung 200 2 ), arc o f particular im portantce.
Beside the jar burials (w h ich was certainly the m ost p o p u lar funeral rite in Sa H uynh culture) there were le c o g m ze d and e xtended burials in several cem eteries, for in stance in Hau X a I, Binh Chau, G o M a Voi , Bau T ram - 1 i a n g Doniz Du...This practice a ls o is fam iliar with so m e bu rials sites o n islands.
as the o u te r and inner cofins . At G o D ua site (D uy X u y c n district, Ọ u a n g N am p ro v in c e ) we have uncovered a g roup o f five b u ria ls o f this kind. In the o th e r sites the d o u b le jar coffins also have been provided but as a single o ccasion
The Using o f resin to jo in the cov er-rim and jar-m o u lh was abun d a n t. In the ca se o f e x tend ed burial at G o M a Voi site, the grave g o ods w ere laid on the resin p latform . The
prim ilary a n a ly s e s o f resin from H a u X a II ce m e te ry have sh o w n that the r esid u e are sim ilar in c o m p o s itio n to m o d e r n D ip te ro c a rp resin. T h e sim ila r results a lso have p rov ided o f the sa m p le s from Spirit C ave and N o e n U- loke (Thailand).
It is d ifficult to c o m p a r e the j a r bu rials from S outheast A sia n Island and th o se fro m C entral a n d S outhern V ie tn a m d u e to c h ro n o lo g ia l o rd er. T h o se from Isla nd s m o stly belong to first m ille n n iu m A D , w hile the Sa H u y n h c u lture j a r burials were d a te d fro m 6 0 0 BC to I A D . W e have not u n c o v e re d yet the j a r
bu rials w hich b e lo n g to period after II A D . T h e sim ilarities in pottery a n d o r n a m e n ts in tw o a s s e m b la g e s were su b je c ts o f m u c h stu dies o f Solheim , Be 11 w ood, H ig h a m ... T h e reaso ns o f their sim ila ry also w ere e x p la in e d bv the m o v e m e n ts o f peo ple or e x c h a n g e n etw ork... W e w ant only to p sescn t as d etailed as p ossib le the data from tw o reg io n s tw o sh o w that e a c h o f them evolved diffe re n tly . E verv re g io n had it's own features, w hile s h a rin g several c o m m o n characteristics.
O n the o th e r h an d , it is w o rth y to indicated that the j a r bu rials were the funeral p h e n o m e n o n w hich a p p e are d in s o m e h u dg e areas in E u rop e and A s ia at the a p ro x im a te ly sam e period o v e r 3 0 0 0 BP ( H .F o k k e n s T h e re was and practice o f usin g tw o jars
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1 99 7:360). T h e g e n e s is o f th is p h e n o n m e n o n in E u ro p e w a s rela te d to m ig r a ti o n ( C h ild 1958:
178); social c h a n g e o r e c o n o m i c p ro c e s s e s o r crices. F o k k e n s ( 1 9 9 7 ) h a s s e e n th e c h a n g e s in burial rites, s e ttle m e n t s tr u c tu r e a n d h o a rd in g p rac tic e s in th e L o w e r R h i n e B a sin as the resu lts o f a tr a n s f o r m a t io n o f id eo lo g y , c o n s is te n t w ith th e d i s s o l u ti o n o f a s o c ie ty into s m a lle r, m o r e a u t o n o m o u s s o c ia l u n its th ro u g h the expansion o f the e xch ang e netw ork (ibit. 360).
c.
E a s t A s i a :In the F a r E a s t, j a r b u ria ls w e re a lre a d y k n o w n in C h in a 's Y a n g s h a o C u ltu re and in J a p a n d u r in g the m i d d l e - l a t e J o m o n pe rio d , but, in b o th c a se s , this f u n e r a r y c u s to m s e e m s to be p ra c tic e d not o n a larg e s c a le b u t lim ite d to th e i n h u m a tio n o f c h il d r e n in ja r s o f o rd in a ry use ( R io tto 1 9 9 5 :4 0 ). H o w e v e r , in the K o r e a o f th e Iro n A g e - P r o to T h r e e K i n g d o m s p e rio d s a n d in J a p a n d u r in g th e Y a y o i period, j a r b u ria ls b e c o m e s o f r e q u e n tl y u s e d . In both c o u n tries, j a r b u ria ls w e r e d is t r ib u t e d in lim ite d areas. In K o re a , j a r b ụ r ia ls in c o m b i n a ti o n w ith shell m o u n d s h a v e b e e n p r e s e n te d th e o n e o f tw o traditions, w h i c h w e re r e c o g n i z e d in Iron A g e. T h is tra d itio n s w a s c h a r a c te r iz e d for so u th e r n c o a sta l a re a a n d c u ltu r a l a rtifa c ts and c u s to m s m a y h a v e b e e n tra v e le d a lo n g the co a sta l rou te (C h oi S u n g - ra k 1996: 35). R io tto (1 9 9 5 ) re c o g n iz e d th at j a r b u ria ls are f o u n d in K o re a in a q u ite p r e c is e g e o g r a p h i c a l c o n te x t w h ic h w as p ro b a b ly a territo ry in h a b ite d by a p a rticu la r g ro u p , w h o s e c u lt u r e d iff e re d fro m o th e r g ro u p s. H is o p i n io n is, the u s e o f j a r burials is to b e s e e n a s th e e x p r e s s io n o f a
"category" o f people un ited by and id e n tity o f tho ug h, beliefs, d a y ly activities a n d e th n ic ity (ibit. 41). This o p in io n is also valid in th e c ase o f S outheast A s ia n Islands a n d C e n tra l V ie tn a m ja r-b u rials tradition.
T h o u g h the c o n v e n tio n al v iew is th a t the the disp ersal o f j a r bu rilas w as th e m a j o r c o n trib u tio n o f A u s tro n e s ia n s p e a k in g peop le m o v e m e n ts (B ellw oo d 1985, H ig h a m 1996,2001...) w e h a v e t o indicate that th ese peoples were h a b ita te d C e n tra l V ie tn a m in the period as e a rly as in S o u th e a s t A s ia n Islan d s.
T h e proposal d a te is a b o u t 3500 BP. T h e se g ro u p s o f A u stro n e sia n p e o p le s to g e th e r w ith the local p eoples w h o were d istrib u ted in Central V ie tn a m fro m N e o lith ic tim e have created the n e w c u ltu re s , w h ich p a rtly w ere d e fin e d as Pre-Sa H u y n h i a n . T h e Sa H u y n h cu lture from 6 0 0 BC w a s a result o f a co m b in a tio n o f a n a tiv e cu ltu re a n d the new tec h n o lo g y from the o u ts id e . T h e re are m a n y features and rem a in s, th e o rigin o f w h ic h c a n be found locally fro m t h e internal pre- Sa H u y n h ia n d e v e lo p m en t. F o r e x a m p le , there are jar-co ffin burials as w e l l as c o rd m ark e d , incised and painted p o t te r y existing in the Pre- Sa H u y n h cultures. S o m e o f de c ora tiv e item s are provided from th eir p ro to ty p e s fro m earlier period. W h ile a c c e p tin g the role o f people's m o v e m e n ts at c e rtain le v e l. W e believe that m o st o f the people w h o w<ere resp o n sib le fo r Sa H u y n h culture also had l iv e d the fro m the Pre- Sa H u y n h ia n period. O f c o u rse w e can not ignore the im pacts o f th e m u t u a l and m u ltitu d e e x c h a n g e s b e tw e en Sa H u y n h and Southeast A sian Islands, N o r th e r n V ie tn a m -D o n g Son
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Jar burials tradition 111 SiHilhcast Asia 5 3
cu lture. Southern V ic tn a m -D o n g Nai culture, C h in e se Han (later period), India (final period).
Southeast m ain la n d (T hailand and Laos)...
T h e jar burials 111 Sa H u y n h culture were o rigin a te d in pre-Sa H u y n h ia n ja r burials.
B etw een them w e can se e a lot o f c o m m o n features in funeral rites, pottery fo rm s and d ecoration s... But for the e s ta b lis h m e n t o f Sa H uy nh culture c h aracteristics there were certain ly the im pacts o f external factors.
D espite the n u m ero us n e w ly d isc o v e red burial finds, a lot o f u n a n sw e re d q u estion s still rem ain. H o w ev er, the j ig s a w puzzle o f the Sa H uy nh c u ltu re has u n d o u b ted ly been en riched by m a n y e x c itin g new asp ects.
A c c o r d in g to us the in ternal cultural e v o lu tio n in C o a s ta l C e n tra l V ie tn a m m igh t be d e v e lo p e d in s o m e s ta g e s as follow:
P r e -S a h u y n h ia n j a r b u ria ls stage (stone to o ls, p o ttery). T h e j a r c o ffin s varied fr o m sp h e ric a l b o d y to e g g -s h a p e d b o g y. 3500 BP - 6 00 B C.
E xten ted burials assocừứed with bronze artefacts. T he strong acculturatioiis w ith D o n g S o n cu ltu re. 600 -500 B C (?).
S a H u y n h j a r b u ria ls stage (iron to o ls, gla ss). 4 0 0 B C- I A D .
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