Tham Pi Man Lang Jan - MH0039
19.528575,98.236843
Location
The most easily visited coffin caves in Pang Ma Pha, clearly visible in the cliffs close to the main road (H1095) 2km west of Ban Soppong. A sign next to the road points to a steep path leading up to the base of the cliffs after 150m.
Description
Tham Pi Man Nam Lang 9 and Tham Pi Man Lang Jan are connected. This is a complex of at least seven small dry caverns containing a large number of coffins, some still on their original supports. Many of the coffins have deteriorated and only fragments remain, but there are still a few in reasonable condition. One cave has a large flat area with a gnarled old tamarind tree and a marvellous view. Stone tools and other signs of prehistoric habitation have been found at this site, but have since been removed. Another small interconnected cave to the west has a dark inner chamber with two well-preserved coffins, 7m long and complete with lids. One of the support posts has been C14 dated at 1,800 years. The inner sections of some of the more remote caverns have dangerously high carbon dioxide levels.
Topographie
DEHARVENG, LOUIS ET AL. (1986) - Grade 2. Reprinted in ZEITOUN, VAL+RY; FORESTIER, HUBERT; NAKBUNLUNG, SUPAPORN; WATHANAWAREEKOOL, SUKHONTHA (2008) SHOOCONDEJ, RASMI (2000)
Archeology
Part of a coffin support from Tham Pi Man Lang Jan has been C14 dated.
Documents
[Topo] Tham Pi Man Lang Jan 12/05/2019Bibliography 29/04/2020
- +Anon. (2011b) "Baseline study for ecotourism development in Mae Hong Son" Final mission report by Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) for the United Nations Joint Program on Integrated Highland Livelihood Development in Mae Hong Son, Output 1.3: Ecotourism. June 2011. 175p +COATES, KAREN J. (2009) "Mystery of the Log Coffin Culture" Archaeology September/October 2009 pp49-54 +DEHARVENG, LOUIS ET AL. (1986) "ExpÚdition Tha´-Maros 85" Association PyrÚnÚenne de SpÚlÚologie, Toulouse ISBN 2-906273-00-7 +DILOKWANICH, SITTIPONG; ET AL. (2000) "An Exploration and Database System of the Caves, Mae Hong Son Province" 6 Vols. Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Bangkok - STD53, 99, 100, 101 +DUNKLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1995) "The Caves of Thailand" Speleological Research Council, Sydney ISBN 0-9589253-9-9 +Grave, Peter; Spies, John; Barbetti, Mike; Hotchkis, Mike (1994) "Dating the log coffins of Northwest Thailand" IPPA Conference, Chiang Mai, 5-12 January 1994 +HOSIE, PAUL (2010) "Under the Top of Thailand. Part One û Cave Lodge" Caves Australia No. 182 pp19-21 +JUSKALIAN, RUSS (2011) "Caves and Kayaks in a Quiet Corner of Thailand" New York Times Travel 7 October 2011 travel.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/travel/ban-tham-lod-… [accessed 9 October 2011] also published in Seattle Times 9 October 2011 seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2016411069_t… [accessed 14 October 2011] +NAKBUNLUNG, SUPAPORN; WATHANAWAREEKOOL, SUKHONTHA (2008) ôWhispering Teeth: Nutrition and Health of Wooden Coffin People in the Pang Ma Pha Cave Sites, Northwestern Thailandö Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Bulletin No. 28 pp84-87 +SHOOCONGDEJ, RASMI; ET AL. (2000b) "Archaeology" in "An Exploration and Database System of Caves: Mae Hong Son Province" Vol. 4. Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Bangkok - sites 14, 34, 35 +SIDISUNTHORN, PINDAR; GARDNER, SIMON; SMART, DEAN (2006) "Caves of Northern Thailand" River Books, Thailand, ISBN 9749863135 +SPIES, JOHN (1994) "The Palaces of Darkness" Action Asia (Hong Kong) Vol.3 No.4 pp116-126 +SPIES, JOHN (2000) "Suggestions for Cave Management" in "An Exploration and Database System of Caves: Mae Hong Son Province" Vol. 6. Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Bangkok +WANNASRI, SINEENART (2004) "A Dendroarchaeological Study of Log Coffins: Bo Krai Cave and Ban Rai Rockshelter in Pang Mapha District, Mae Hong Son Province" MSc Thesis, Mahidol University, Bangkok 174pp +ZEITOUN, VAL+RY; FORESTIER, HUBERT; NAKBUNLANG, SUPAPORN (2008) "PrÚhistoires au sud du Triangle d'Or" IRD Editions, Paris ISBN 97-2-7099-1642-4 252pp
History
The coffins have been dated to 1640BP+/-90 (Grave et al. 1994). 2008-10-31 (M. Ellis, T. Bolger)
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Tham Ie - MH0031 | 100 | 2 |
| 0.5 | Tham Pi - MH0030 | 30 | 0 |
| 0.6 | Tham Nam Hu - MH0010 | 1201 | 0 |
| 0.6 | Spirit Cave 2 - MH0008 | ||
| 0.6 | Spirit Cave 3 - MH0009 | ||
| 0.6 | Coffin Cave MH0025 - MH0025 | ||
| 0.6 | Coffin Cave MH0026 - MH0026 | ||
| 0.6 | Coffin Cave MH0027 - MH0027 | ||
| 0.6 | Spring MH0265 - MH0265 |