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Don Yai Thong rings
Two gold rings aged around 2,000 years old were discovered during an excavation at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Phetchaburi province in western Thailand, the Thai government’s Fine Arts Department said in a statement.
“Two gold rings aged around 2,000 years old were discovered”
The rings were found with human bones during an ongoing dig at the site, which is about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Bangkok, after residents found pieces of ancient bronze drums in a rice field earlier this year.
One ring found Thursday was engraved with characters believed to be Bhrami script, and an initial assessment by experts identified the script reading as “pusarakhitasa,” meaning “the one protected by Pushya,” said to be one of the most auspicious zodiac signs in Indian astronomy.
The other ring found with the same skeletal remains is a plain gold ring without any pattern, and experts believe the rings’ owner may have been a merchant of the Indian ancient caste system Vaishyas.
The Fine Arts Department said excavations that began in February have already uncovered eight human skeletons, bronze and gold jewelry, pottery and other artifacts, and the excavation is expected to be complete in another month with plans to showcase the finds to the public.
Brahmi inscription meaning
The Fine Arts Department said one ring’s inscription was identified after an initial examination as “pusarakhitasa,” which translates to “the one protected by Pushya,” and the Associated Press is cited describing Pushya as “one of the most auspicious zodiac signs in Indian astronomy.”
The Independent similarly described the inscription as “pusarakhitasa,” meaning “the one protected by Pushya,” and said the second ring found with the same skeletal remains is a plain gold band.
In the same excavation, the Fine Arts Department said experts believe the rings’ owner may have been a merchant of the Indian ancient caste system Vaishyas, linking the burial to early cultural and trade links between the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
The excavation has been ongoing since February, and the Fine Arts Department said it is expected to be complete in another month before the site is closed for further analysis.
The Daily Pioneer said the Fine Arts Department plans to conserve and display the discoveries for the public after the excavation concludes within the next month.
Conservation and museum plans
The excavation at Don Yai Thong has been tied to preservation concerns, with ABP Live English saying authorities stepped up excavation work amid concerns that rising groundwater levels and seasonal rains could damage unearthed bronze objects and ancient human remains.
“rising groundwater levels and seasonal rains could damage unearthed bronze objects”
ABP Live English also said the rings have been moved to the Phra Nakhon Khiri Museum in Ratchaburi province, where they will be preserved and studied further.
The Fine Arts Department’s director-general Phanombut Chantarachoti is quoted by ABP Live English as saying one of the rings carries an inscription believed to be in the ancient Brahmi script.
In a separate account, the Thai government’s Fine Arts Department said the excavation is expected to be complete in another month and that plans include showcasing the archaeological finds to the public.
Sentinel Colorado | Local Western reported that the Don Yai Thong site was discovered early this year after residents found pieces of ancient bronze drums in a rice field, leading to further excavation and the discovery of the rings alongside eight human skeletons.
