ghost cave

Terrain

General Condition

Tham Phee is a cave with a rather wide mouth. causing light to shine through almost the entire area The mouth of the cave faces east. When entering from the mouth of the cave, you will find Hall 1 (Lower Cave) with many niches and caverns. General conditions are found scattered large stones. Represents the collapse of the cave ceiling in the past. (Like the rock at the mouth of the cave) a large wooden sarcophagus was found on pillars and beams. They are both perfect and incomplete.

Next to the first hall, have to climb the collapsed rock up to Hall 2 (Upper Cave), where traces of the excavation of Chester Gorman in 1966 can be seen in a small shed along the way. When entering the second hall, there is a cave with a small hall. There was light through the cavity of the cave wall like a room window. Found a wooden sarcophagus located on columns and beams inside.

Tham Phi is a cave that is about 400 meters above the ground in the basin plains or about 800 meters above sea level. The position of the cave is the highest point of the mountain peak. But there are other peaks in the same mountain range that are higher. The height of the cave is at a level where one can clearly see the mountains that are several kilometers away. Without any mountain to obscure the prominent location of this ghost man cave located on the majestic cliff. which is difficult and dangerous to climb The easiest way to go up is from the side of the cliff. which the ground has a steep slope loam and slippery The vegetation is mixed forest. Which still found a lot of teak near the cave As for the slopes at the foot of the hill, you will find a variety of forest conditions. Most are highly humid. mixed with bamboo The abundance of nature is still very much there. In which a small stone courtyard in front of the entrance to Hall 2 still finds quite a lot of old and new chamois dung.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

River of

Geological conditions

Ghost Man cave area Consists of 3 types of limestone, namely

1. Kamakala Limestone, Korat Series

2. Limestone Ratchaburi (Ratburi Series) originated in Carboniferous and Permian eras

3. Thung Song Limestone (Thung Song Limestone) was born in the Ordovician period.

These limestones are leveled due to the influx of rainwater through the limestone. causing a large number of caves and cliffs and a mountain with spiers and steep cliffs was born. The lower part of the Phi Man Cave consists of Kanchanaburi Sandstone Group (Kanchanaburi Sandstone Series), which occurred during the Carboniferous, Devonian and Siluvian periods. (Carboniferous, Devonian, and Silvanian)

Tham Phi is a non-active cave that originated on the limestone mountain range. which is caused by being washed by the action of water until it becomes a larger cave until the ceiling of the cave Unable to bear the weight, it collapsed into a cave on the cliff. which also appears as a large rock in front of the cave Entering the cave requires digging or climbing into the cave.

The soil around Phi Man Cave is caused by decay of limestone in various rock cavities. and has water as a blow to accumulate over the valley or the plains, divided into 4 types:

1. Coarse soil formed from quartzite sandstone.

2. Sandy Clay Loam:This area is often high forest and has gneiss.

3. Limestone outcrops and cliffs (Crag)

4. The type of soil that cannot be classified (Unidentified soil)

In the lower valley of Tham Phi Man, at the edge of the creek, there is a narrow terrace (50-60 m), which is caused by the current soil deposition.

Characteristics of the forest surrounding Phi Man Cave deciduous forest There are deciduous dipterocarp forests, mixed deciduous forests, and grassy forests.

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Scientific age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Excavation of Chester f. Gorman (1970) of the University of Hawaii. together with the survey team from the Fine Arts Department which has been excavated at the Ghost Man cave Mae Hong Son Province, results of the Gorman excavation divided the culture into 2 phases

phase 1 Archaeological evidence found during this period includes stone tools, plant remains and animal remains.

Stone Tools It looks like a Hoabinhian tool made of coarse quartzite. (Coarse-grained Quartzite) is a type of tool found. stone core tool stone chipping tool and Grinding Stone Implements

- Stone Core Tools Derived from river pebbles (Pebble), similar to Sumatralith, some have traces of use.

- stone chipping tool Most of them are made of quartzite and basalt, often with refinishing of the edges. for the benefit of better use In addition, a blade tool is found in a semicircular shape, made of Cakite, with traces of use.

- Crushed stone, a small size, made of river pebbles. The surface of the crushed stone has soil attached to it. In addition, where the crushed stone was found, there was also turmeric soil.

Carrion Animal bones found include cows, turtles, deer, barking deer, bats, reptiles, snakes, rodents, birds, monkeys, squirrels, mollusks and freshwater fish.

humus The traces of the plant were found in seeds, terminals, bark, and burned to charcoal. Types of plants found include both biennial and perennial plants. Biennial plants include gourds, cucumbers, deep peppers, peppers, green peas, green beans, broad beans, or soybeans. Tiger chestnut or Maweng The perennial plants are betel nut, Thai anchor, somphiphek, peach, kettle or ma-kum or olive-leam, masang and mayao.

phase 2 The evidence found during this period includes:

Stone Tools Stone-sharp tools, terrazzo axes and terrazzo knives, determined by carbon-14 aging, were estimated to be 8,806±200 years ago.

Pottery

- Lanyard-patterned pottery It is gray to dark black. The inner surface of the pottery was polished until it was shiny. The outer surface is the body of a rope grafted. Most of the ropes used for grafting are braided ropes. There are 2 sizes:tight strands. The angle of the strand is about 10 degrees and the rope is loosely stranded about 15-20 degrees. The width of the rope is approximately 1-2 millimeters (measured from the diameter). Then press it on the surface of the container while it is not dry. From the analysis, it was found that the ropes that were destroyed were roffia plants, which are found in the ghost cave area.

The inner surface of the pottery It has been found that small pebbles, seeds, or other smooth materials may be used. Helps to scrub the surface of the container.

- Polished pottery There are both outer and inner surfaces. The skin color of the container is light and dark. From grayish brown fur to yellowish brown The material used for polishing can be seen from scratches. It is about 1.5-2 mm wide, parallel to the surface of the container.

Pottery at Pheeman Cave Between 9,000 years old and 7,322 years ago, it is considered the oldest pottery in Thailand. in the middle stone age which overturns the theory that pottery making began in the Neolithic period.

Residues of plants and animals Found the same as cultural layer 1

From the study of outstanding types of antiquities The age can be comparatively determined that it was in the Middle Stone Age and the Neolithic, about 8,350-10,440 years ago.

from scientific age determination by carbon-14 method By the sample of charcoal, the age value (Chin Dee 1969) was as follows:

8,550±200 years ago (example from the 2nd soil layer)

8,750±140 years ago (example from the 2nd soil layer)

9,180±360 years ago (example from 4th subsoil)

man in prehistoric times Use the Ghost Man Cave area as a temporary residence. Stone tools and earthenware, such as stone flakes and stone blades, were used to cut meat for food. with the use of earthenware for cooking because the seeds were found burned with fire and charcoal Demonstrates the use of human fire.

Evidence found from surveys of the Cave Surveying and Database System Project. Mae Hong Son Province

Wooden Coffin (Cherdsak Trirayapiwat 1998) found both the complete cover and the rest of the coffin head totaling 12 or 6 coffins, 2 coffins found in Hall 2 and 4 coffins in Hall 1, all made of teak It has an average width of about 40-50 centimeters and an average length of 2.5-3.5 meters. can be classified as

- Square shape with rounded ends, 1 stick protruding, the bottom is made into a square ridge, drilled near the coffin.

- A rounded-tipped rectangular stick, 1 stick protruding, flattened at the top and rounded at the end, relatively short.

1 stick - oval-shaped stick.

- 2 sticks protruding oval sticks

- 1 rod, oval, cylindrical spigot, top and bottom, smooth cut

coffin placement can be classified as

- Placed on poles, which are both round columns and relatively flat plates. Assembled with the beam area to meet the curvature of the casket.

- Placed on round wooden beams supporting the cave walls.

- resting on a beam, one end supported by the cave wall. The other side has support columns.

Wraps of earthenware From the survey, very few artifacts of this type were found. That is, 7 small pieces of earthenware 1x2 cm. and 3 larger pieces, 1 mouth and 2 body parts.

7 small clay pots found from the survey were clay pottery. (Earthenware) The color of the container is red-brown-black. Forming containers by hand and dial Some are decorated with polished smoke, embossed rope pattern, and some are shoulder parts of pot-type utensils. The mouth of the container is in the shape of a red-brown bowl. Center forest line 31-32 cm

Stone tools Investigate the area where Chester Gorman excavated as evidence that hasn't been collected. Characteristics of a stone chipping tool (Ramee Chusongdet 1998)