15-03-2025
Archaeologists Discover 30,000-Year-Old Remains of Child in Popular National Park
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a small child in a popular national park, according to a government report.
The chilling discovery was made in the Tham Din Cave within Thailand's Tham Pha Tup Forest Park. The cave first came onto scientists' radar in 2020, when archaeologists identified several ancient paintings on the chamber's walls. Some of these paintings depicted scenes of humans hunting animals such as deer with advanced weapons, indicating the region was one of the earliest occupied by human beings.
By 2022, the search had yielded an abundance of artifacts such as pottery, stone tools, and bones. An analysis determined that they were somewhere between 10,000 and 29,000 years old, confirming the theory that the cave was inhabited by prehistoric humans for thousands of years.
As the investigation moved to the cave floor, scientists discovered a well-preserved skeleton which appeared to have been buried with ritualistic elements, which indicated a sophisticated cultural practice. After further analysis from U.S.-based labs, which found the skeleton to be fairly well preserved, scientists determined the bones likely belonged to a child aged between six and eight. The body was found face up, lying amongst stones with red pigment covering its face. The presence of charcoal and ash around the body indicates to researchers that the child's remains may have been smoked, or lightly charred, before the burial."It is believed that the way the body was treated involved rituals, including a theory that this was one way to keep it from being eaten by wild animals,' excavation leader Kannika Premaj explained to the Bangkok Post. 'We have learnt from the position and direction in which the body was placed that it was a ritual, meaning the community living here had their own culture and way of living.'
The remains, named Pangpod after a popular Taiwanese children's TV character, illuminate a previously untold segment of history. The child's fossil may provide insight as to how prehistoric humans in the Paleolithic era adapted to changes in their environment.
"The Din Cave site offers a unique window into the past, documenting the evolution of human societies over thousands of years," a representative for Thailand's Fine Arts Department told Thai PBS World.
