The history of prehistoric archaeology in Myanmar: a brief review

Abstract

Myanmar’s (also called Burma) critical location at the juncture between South and East Asia plays a significant role in shaping the region’s cultural trajectory, particularly in terms of long-range population migrations and cultural interactions within the framework of southern China and Southeast Asia. This paper summarizes the history and practices of prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar by collecting, sorting, and analyzing global publications from the last 150 years. We outline five significant periods in the development of research on prehistoric archaeology in Myanmar: the roots in the 1870 to 1930s; the beginnings, between the 1930 and 1950s; stagnation in the 1950s through 1970s; recovery in the 1970s through 1990s; and continuous development since the 1990s. Finally, we briefly discuss the features and hotspots of prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar, as well as current constraints and future directions for the field.