Contact
Room 2C23
Tel 64 3 479 8750
Email charles.higham@otago.ac.nz
Research Interests
The prehistory of mainland Southeast Asia; the implications of archaeogenetics and historic linguistics.
Projects
I have two current research projects.
The first centres on the prehistoric Iron Age site of Non Ban Jak, in Northeast Thailand. Co-directed with Associate Professor Hallie Buckley, this focuses on the origins of social inequality during the later Iron Age, that laid the foundations for the origins of early states. Non Ban Jak is unique in providing not only the remains of houses, but the well-preserved skeletons of those who lived there between 200-600 AD. Our research is supported by the Marsden Fund.
My second project involves collaboration with Professor T. Higham and Dr K. Douka of Oxford and Dr F. Petchey of Waikato University, and involves the dating of human bones, shells and plant remains from key prehistoric sites in Southeast Asia to provide a firm chronological framework for interpreting later Southeast Asian prehistory. This is also supported by the Marsden Fund, and results have involved the redating of Non Nok Tha, Ban Chiang, Ban Na Di, Ban Lum Khao and several other prehistoric sites from Myanmar, Vietnam and China.
Publications
Cares Henriquez, A., Buckley, H., Domett, K., Halcrow, S., Higham, C., O'Reilly, D., … Oxenham, M. F. (2023). Chronology, duration, and periodicity of linear enamel hypoplasia at the late Iron Age site Non Ban Jak, Thailand: A quantitative microscopic analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 48, 103866. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.103866
Higham, C., & Higham, T. F. (2022). Khok Phanom Di: New radiocarbon dates and their implications. Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 46, 17-33.
Higham, C., & Higham, T. (2022). New radiocarbon dates for Iron Age Noen U-Loke. Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 46, 31-38.
Higham, C. F. W., & Kijngam, A. (2022). Zooarchaeology of Ban Chiang and the rise of early farming communities in mainland Southeast Asia. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/oa.3174
Oliveira, S., Nägele, K., Carlhoff, S., Pugach, I., Koesbardiati, T., Hübner, A., … Higham, C. F. W., … Kinaston, R., … Stoneking, M. (2022). Ancient genomes from the last three millennia support multiple human dispersals into Wallacea. Ecology & Evolution, 6, 1024-1034. doi: 10.1038/s41559-022-01775-2
Higham, C. (2014). Early mainland Southeast Asia: From first humans to Angkor. Bangkok, Thailand: River Books, 447p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2013). The origins of the civilization of Angkor. London: Bloomsbury, 129p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C., & Thosarat, R. (2012). Early Thailand: From prehistory to Sukhothai. Bangkok, Thailand: Rover Books, 288p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2009). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. III): The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part one: Introduction. Bangkok, Thailand: Fine Arts Department of Thailand.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2004). Encyclopedia of ancient Asian civilizations. New York: Facts on File.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Thosarat, R., Manly, B. F. J., & Bentley, R. A. (2004). The excavation of Khok Phanom Di, a prehistoric site in central Thailand: Volume VII: Summary and conclusions. London: The Society of Antiquaries of London.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2003). Cambodge. Grandeur de l'Empire Khmer. Paris: Selection de Reader's Digest, 192p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2002). Early Cultures of Mainland Southeast Asia. Bangkok: River Books, 375p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2001). Az angkori civilizáció (The civilization of Angkor). Budapest, Hungary: Gold Book, 253p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2001). The Civilization of Angkor. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 192p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Thosarat, R. (1998). Prehistoric Thailand. From First Settlement to Sukhothai. River Books and Thames and Hudson, 226p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (1996). The Bronze Age of Southeast Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 381p.
Authored Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Kijngam, A. (Eds.). (2020). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department, 524p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Kijngam, A. (Eds.). (2012). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol VI): The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part four: The Iron Age, summary and conclusions. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department, 403p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Kijngam, A. (Eds.). (2012). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol V): The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part three: The Bronze Age. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department, 599p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Kijngam, A. (Eds.). (2010). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. IV): The excavation of Ban Non Wat: The Neolithic occupation. Bangkok, Thailand: The Thai Fine Arts Department, 223p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Kijngam, A., & Talbot, S. (Eds.). (2007). The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. II): The excavation of Noen U-Loke and Non Muang Kao. Bangkok, Thailand: The Thai Fine Arts Department, 656p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Thosarat, R. (Eds.). (2004). The origins of the civilization of Angkor, volume 1: The excavation of Ban Lum Khao. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department, 339p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F., & Thosarat, R. (Eds.). (1999). Prehistoric Thailand, from First Settlement to Sukhothai (Thai language edition). Thailand: River Books, 236p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F., & Thosarat, R. (Eds.). (1999). The Excavation of Knok Phanom Di: Volume V: The People by N. G Tayles. London: The Society of Antiquaries of London, 386p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F., & Thosarat, R. (Eds.). (1998). The excavation on Nong Nor, a Prehistoric Site in Central Thailand (Oxford and University of Otago Studies in Prehistoric Anthropology No. 18). Oxford: Oxbow Books, 576p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., & Thosarat, R. (Eds.). (1996). The Excavation of Khok Phanom Di: A Prehistoric Site in Central Thailand. London: Society of Antiquaries of London, 312p.
Edited Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Buckley, H. R., & Halcrow, S. (2020). The eastern mound excavation: Square M-N. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The excavation of Non Ban Jak: The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7). (pp. 67-109). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Buckley, H. R., Halcrow, S., & Domett, K. (2020). The eastern mound burials. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 111-169). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Chang, N., Buckley, H. R., Halcrow, S., & Domett, K. (2020). The human burials: Mortuary phase 4. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 363-385). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Chang, N., Buckley, H. R., Halcrow, S., & Domett, K. (2020). The human burials: Mortuary phase 1. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 229-262). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Chang, N., Buckley, H. R., Halcrow, S., & Domett, K. (2020). The human burials: Mortuary phase 2. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 263-308). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Chang, N., Buckley, H. R., Halcrow, S., & Domett, K. (2020). The human burials: Western mound mortuary phase 3. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 309-362). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W., Manly, B. F. J., Thosarat, R., Buckley, H. R., Chang, N., Halcrow, S. E., Ward, S., … Domett, K. (2020). Summary and conclusions. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor (Vol. 7): The excavation of Non Ban Jak. (pp. 493-510). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2018). Complex societies of East and Southeast Asia. In C. Scarre (Ed.), The human past: World history & the development of human societies. (4th ed.) (pp. 549-589). London, UK: Thames & Hudson.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2018). East Asian agriculture and its impact. In C. Scarre (Ed.), The human past: World history & the development of human societies. (4th ed.) (pp. 230-260). London, UK: Thames & Hudson.
Chapter in Book - Research
Ward, S. M., Halcrow, S. E., Buckley, H. R., Higham, C. F. W., O’Reilly, D. J. W., Shewan, L., & Domett, K. M. (2018). Developing a new project: The impact of social change on health at the late Iron Age site of Non Ban Jak in Northeast Thailand. In N. H. Tan (Ed.), Advancing Southeast Asian archaeology 2016: Selected papers from the second SEAMEO SPAFA international conference on Southeast Asian archaeology. (pp. 259-275). Bangkok, Thailand: SEAMEO SPAFA Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2017). Reflections in a dustbin: Froth flotation and origins of rice cultivation and spread of animal husbandry. In P. Rowley-Conwy, D. Serjeantson & P. Halstead (Eds.), Economic zooarchaeology: Studies in hunting, herding and early agriculture. (pp. 15-21). Oxford, UK: Oxbow.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2017). The prehistoric house: A missing factor in Southeast Asia. In P. J. Piper, H. Matsumura & D. Bulbeck (Eds.), New perspectives in Southeast Asian and Pacific prehistory: Terra Australis 45. (pp. 369-384). Canberra, Australia: ANU Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2017). Farming, social change, and state formation in Southeast Asia. In U. Albarella, H. Russ, K. Vickers & S. Viner-Daniels (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of zooarchaeology. (pp. 351-366). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199686476.013.23
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2016). Death and mortuary rituals in mainland Southeast Asia: From hunter-gatherers to the god kings of Angkor. In C. Renfrew, M. J. Boyd & I. Morley (Eds.), Death rituals, social order and the archaeology of immortality in the ancient world: "Death shall have no dominion". (pp. 280-300). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2016). Vom Beginn der Metallzeit bis zum Ende der Eisenzeit. In A. Reinecke (Ed.), Schätze der Archäologie Vietnams. (pp. 95-124). Mainz am Rhein, Germany: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag & Media.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2015). The role of public archaeology in three contrasting contexts: Thailand, Cambodia and China. In Bulletin of the Shanghai Archaeology Forum: Volume II. (pp. 292-300). Beijing, China: China Social Science Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2015). Social change during the Bronze and Iron Ages of Northeast Thailand. In N. H. Tan (Ed.), Advancing Southeast Asian archaeology 2013: Selected papers from the first SEAMEO SPAFA international conference on Southeast Asian archaeology. (pp. 270-278). Bangkok, Thailand: SEAMEO SPAFA Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2014). Agriculture, feasting and social change in early Southeast Asia. In K. Boyle, R. Rabett & C. Hunt (Eds.), Living in the landscape: Essays in honour of Graeme Barker. (pp. 313-320). Cambridge, UK: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge University.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2013). Complex societies of East and Southeast Asia. In C. Scarre (Ed.), The human past. (3rd ed.) (pp. 552-593). London: Thames & Hudson.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2013). Dating the Bronze Age of Southeast Asia: The cultural implications. In M. J. Klokke & V. Degroot (Eds.), Unearthing Southeast Asia's past: Selected papers from the 12th International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists (Vol. 1). (pp. 55-63). Singapore: NUS Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. (2013). East Asian agriculture and its impact. In C. Scarre (Ed.), The human past. (3rd ed.) (pp. 234-263). London: Thames & Hudson.
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Higham, C. (2013). The comparative archaeology of ancient civilizations. In Bulletin of the Shanghai Archaeology Forum. (pp. 251-303). Beijing, China: Science Press.
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Higham, C. F. W. (2013). Southeast Asian mainland: Archaeology. In I. Ness (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration. Wiley. doi: 10.1002/9781444351071.wbeghm834
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2012). Adult burials of Iron Age period 1, southern group. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor: Vol VI: The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part Four: The Iron Age, summary and conclusions. (pp. 275-298). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2012). Bronze Age 3A burials. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor: Vol V: The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part Three: The Bronze Age. (pp. 149-196). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2012). Conclusions. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor: Vol V: The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part Three: The Bronze Age. (pp. 505-536). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2012). Introduction. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor: Vol V: The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part Three: The Bronze Age. (pp. 1-6). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
Chapter in Book - Research
Higham, C. F. W. (2012). The adult female burials of Iron Age period 1, northern group. In C. F. W. Higham & A. Kijngam (Eds.), The origins of the civilization of Angkor: Vol VI: The excavation of Ban Non Wat: Part Four: The Iron Age, summary and conclusions. (pp. 157-180). Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Fine Arts Department.
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