Shumla sends Texas to Thailand for rock art research

February 20, 2008
By Bill Sontag
Feature Writer

Dr. Carolyn Boyd, founder and director of Shumla, an International Center for Rock Art Research and Education, returned, Sunday (Feb. 17), from a pioneering trek through Southeast Asia. Boyd and half a dozen associates examined hundreds of ancient paintings on the rock walls of Thailand. The Comstock resident will report findings in later editions of LIVE!

Boyd traveled in Thailand with a collegial coterie of friends and fellow scientists, including Dr. Jean Clottes, distinguished author, archeologist, and retired scientific advisor to the French Ministry of Culture, and Dr. Robert Mark and Evelyn Billo, Flagstaff, Arizona, rock art computer services specialists. Also in the party were Boyd’s benefactors for the trip, Elton and Kerza Prewitt, respectively chairman of the Shumla Board of Directors and Webmaster for www.shumla.org. Joining the group, too, was Lacy Jemmott, Shumla board treasurer, and registrar for the Texas Center for the Judiciary, Austin.

The Prewitts surprised Boyd with their gift to cover her costs of travel at the same time as they announced a personal pledge of $250,000 to initiate a research arm of Shumla, headquartered in Comstock and facilitated 15 miles north on the Harrington Ranch Shumla campus. (See related story, http://www.swtexaslive.com/node/5687.) Kerza Prewitt reported to LIVE! via E-mail from Bangkok that the two-week journey to Thailand put Boyd and Jemmott in-country on February 2 where they joined the Prewitts, Clottes, Mark and Billo to begin the country tour.

“Swasdee Ka! That's ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ here, [when] said by a woman,” wrote Prewitt. On Tuesday (Feb. 12), she explained, “This trip is to introduce rock art researchers from around the world to the art that exists in Thailand.” She explained that the first days included introductions of the group to Thai culture and history, “including a tour of the Grand Palace, the Summer Palace at Bang Pa-In, several Buddhist temples, and the ancient city of Ayutthaya.”

That city, Prewitt explained, is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre. According to the UNESCO Web site, www.whc.unesco.org, Ayutthaya dates to 1350 as the second Siamese capital. “It was destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th century. Its remains, characterized by the prang (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, giving an idea of its past splendor,” UNESCO explains. Prewitt added that the capital city was “home to 33 kings and numerous dynasties until its fall to the Burmese in 1767.”

In northeastern Thailand, at Issan, another UNESCO location, Ban Chiang Archeological Site, was visited, featuring bronze and pottery artifacts that put it on the “must see” list for archeologists, according to Prewitt. Here Boyd and the entourage saw Thai rock art for the first time at Phu Phra Bat Historical Park, Udon Thani Province. “There are numerous examples of rock art in this park,” Prewitt reported, “and those visited were duly recorded with photographs.” UNESCO declares, “Ban Chiang is considered the most important prehistoric settlement so far discovered in Southeast Asia … [presenting] the earliest evidence of farming in the region and the manufacture and use of metals.”

From Bangkok, the travelers journeyed to southwestern Thailand. “We came within 30 miles of the border with Myanmar [formerly Burma, now raging with civil unrest and government repression], but had no problems,” said Prewitt. “There, participants were able to visit two rock art sites. The first, Tham Ta-Duong, located in Mueang Sing Historical Park had some interesting art and was well worth the steep climb. Some of the paintings were probably produced by prehistoric hunter-gatherers of the area, and some were examples of Buddhist rock art. The next day brought a visit to Tham Pha Dang, a site with spectacular paintings,” Prewitt related.

Not surprisingly, the group could not resist occasional opportunities to “play tourist,” and Prewitt illustrated, “On the way from Bangkok the group visited the Damnoen Saduak floating market, took a boat ride along the nearby canals and visited the site dedicated to the Bridge on the River Kwai.”

“Today is Tuesday [Feb. 12], so the group is in Ubon Ratchathani, near the Mekong River. This town is in the eastern part of the country, near the borders of Thailand with both Laos and Cambodia. Tonight they are staying in Khongjiam, on the banks of the Mekong River. There should be wonderful pictures of dawn on the Mekong,” wrote Prewitt, adding that the group would be addressing archeologists and other scholars at Silpakorn University, Bangkok, on Friday (Feb. 15).

The next day, Saturday (Feb. 16), Prewitt reported that the lectures introduced rock art of the Lower Pecos, Paleolithic rock art of France, and digital enhancement of photographs to bring out images that cannot be seen otherwise. An audience of more than 120 from all around Thailand, and students and faculty attended the Silpakorn University event. “There was a tremendous amount of interest shown, lots of questions asked, and contacts made here could well lead to further exchange of training and information between Shumla, Silpakorn University and the Department of Fine Arts,” said Prewitt.

“The seminar was moderated and translated by Dr. Surapol Natapintu, Dean of the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University. Distinguished guests included Dr. Somsuda Leyavanija, Inspector General of the Ministry of Culture; Somkid Buapeng, Director General of the Department of Groundwater Resources; and Dr. Pisit Charoenwongsa, Director of the Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA), Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO),” Prewitt reported.

Prewitt reported that she and her husband, archeologist Elton Prewitt, will return to the United States on Monday (Feb. 25), and will attend the Shumla Board of Directors meeting, March 8, where she, Boyd and Jemmott will discuss the trip. Prewitt also credited a pair of facilitators who helped coordinate agendas and contacts, including Chompoo Homwong in Thailand and Dr. Foo Swasdee, Austin, who made arrangements for the lectures at Silpakorn University. Elton Prewitt explained, "Chompoo ('Pink') Homwong lives in southwest Bangkok near the Chao Phraya River where she manages her family business interests.  She also serves as an aide to a member of the Thai parliament."  Homwong is also a former Austin resident that operated an import boutique and, in partnership with Foo Swasdee, opened a Thai restaurant, Satay.

"Dr. Foo Swasdee, a native of Bangkok, lives in Austin where she is CEO of Satay Group, which includes Texas Food Products and Satay Restaurant," said Prewitt.  "Foo earned a PhD in Food Science at Texas A&M University in the 1970's ... Foo was also very active in setting up our tour.  She had previously introduced us to geologist Somkid Buapeng, now Director General of the Thai Department of Groundwater Resources, and to archaeologist Dr. Somsuda Leyavanija, now Inspector General in the Thai Ministry of Culture (the umbrella under which the Department of Fine Arts operates; the Division of Archeology in that department oversees all archaeological work in the country).  These two ladies were crucial to making our tour successful through their direction of logistical and guide support."