Looking Beyond the Temples and Beyond the Capital: Exploring the residences of the ancient Angkorians
The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum’s March lecture will focus on household archaeology with Assistant Professor Alison Carter on Thursday, March 29 at 4:00 p.m. Carter has done extensive archaeological work in Cambodia and will share her discovery with the community of Cannon Beach.
Angkor, centered in the modern nation of Cambodia, was one of the largest preindustrial settlements in the world and has been the focus of more than a century of epigraphic, art historical, and architectural research. However, few scholars have examined the lives of the people who built the temples, kept the shrines running, produced the food, and managed the water. This presentation will discuss two recent excavations that examined Angkorian residential occupation. First, I will discuss excavations on a house mound within the enclosure of the state temple of Angkor Wat. Then I will discuss our 2018 excavations on occupation mounds near the small provincial temple of Prasat Basaet, across the Tonle Sap lake from the Angkorian capital in the province of Battambang. Through this multidisciplinary research we aim to better understand the nature and timing of occupation at these sites, the types of activities taking place within an Angkorian household, and compare life in the capital with life in the provinces.
Alison Carter is Assistant Professor in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Oregon. She holds her degrees from the University of Wisconsion, Madison (M.S. and Ph.D.) and Oberlin College. Professor Carter is an anthropological archaeologist with interests in the political economy and evolution of complex societies in Southeast Asia, the archaeology of East and South Asia, materials analysis and LA‐ICP‐MS (Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry), craft technology and specialization, household archaeology, ritual and religion, trade and exchange, and bead studies.household archaeology in Angkor, Cambodia. She is also a Archaeology Institute of America featured speaker. And she lives right here in the Pacific North West!
This event is free to the public. Seating for Professor Carter’s presentation is very limited so please arrive a little early to get a seat, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and peruse the museum before the lecture starts at 4:00 p.m. Doors are closed at 4:15 p.m.
The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is a private non-profit located in mid-town Cannon Beach (1387 South Spruce Street.) Admission to the museum is donation based. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., closed on Tuesday.
A big thank you to the The Ocean Lodge for sponsoring this event! If you haven’t checked out their property, you should. It’s beautifully located right on the beach in Tolovana with an epic view of Haystack Rock. Their lobby fireplace, cookies at check in, and friendly service make this a great spot for a getaway.