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Affiliation(s)

Underwater Archaeology Division, Thailand

ABSTRACT

This paper re-evaluates the ancient riverine networks of Nakhon Pathom and Ku Bua, demonstrating that they were inland settlements situated within seasonal freshwater floodplains rather than active coastal zones. By examining both terrestrial and maritime archaeological evidence, the paper proposes a transport model for the Lower Central Plain of Thailand, whereby large sea-going vessels offloaded cargo onto indigenous rivercraft destined for major inland cities. The research identifies key constraints, such as shallow, meandering inland waterways and adverse wind conditions, that prevented massive vessels from sailing directly inland. Finally, the paper suggests that continuous deltaic progradation shifted the coastline southward and silted up vital waterways, precipitating the decline and eventual abandonment of these cities.

KEYWORDS

Dvaravati, maritime archaeology, riverine networks, lashed-lug tradition, Phanom-Surin

Cite this paper

Sira Ploymukda. (2026). From Coast to Inland Moats: The Maritime Archaeological Landscape and Settlement Patterns of the Western Lower Central Plain in the Late First Millennium CE. History Research, October 2026, Vol. 8, No. 10, 580-598.

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