Here are links to archaeology and research resources for Southeast Asia, categorised by theme and country. Got a link to suggest?
- Southeast Asian Interest
- Archaeology, Anthropology and History sites/blogs
- Journals
- Research resources
- Museums
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Country sites
Southeast Asian Interest [top]
- 1421 Exposed – The REAL truth behind Gavin Menzies’ 1421 and a point-by-point rebuttal by academia to why the 1421 thesis doesn’t hold water.
- EFEO – Ecole Francaise d’Extreme-Orient or the French School of Asian Studies has historically done a lot of research in Indochina because of its colonial links. Website is in French.
- H-SEASIA Discussion Network – H-SEASIA is a forum for discussion and communications regarding the history and study of Southeast Asia.
- HOPSea – The Human Origins Patrimony in Southeast Asia, a multinational collaboration between European and Southeast Asian partners.
- Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association – Founded in 1929, the IPPA is dedicated to the study of prehistory of Eastern Asia (70 deg longitude) and the pacific region.
- Maitreya – Maitreya is the student association for the archaeology of Asia, based in Leiden University in the Netherlands.
- NAUSICAÄ – French National Sea Experience Center, in Boulogne-sur-Mer (Northern France), is a Science Center entirely dedicated to the relationship between Mankind and the Sea. Its goal is to incite the general public to discover the sea and to love it, while raising its awareness on the need for a better management of marine resources. (This link goes to NAUSICAÄ’s English site)
- Sahul Time – An interactive map showing the sea levels and land mass size of Sahul (Australia and Papua New Guinea) and island Southeast Asia.
- SEAMEO-SPAFA – The Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts, under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation.
- South and Southeast Asian Art and Archaeology Index (ABIA) – The ABIA Project is a global network of scholars co-operating on an annotated bibliographic database for publishers covering South and Southeast Asian art and archaeology.
- Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-Lu – The Ming Shi-Lu is an open access resource to the annals of Ming China (1368 – 1644), in which place names and polities in Southeast Asia is featured greatly.
- Southeast Asian Ceramics Society – Formed in 1969, the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society’s purpose is to widen appreciation and acquire knowledge of the ceramic art of China and countries adjacent to China, especially those of Southeast Asia. To pursue this aim, local members meet for periodic discussion, to hear talks by experts and to study and compare ‘pots’.
- Southeast Asian Images & Text – A collection of teaching and research resources put together by the people at the University of Wisconsin. Contains a section of images of Angkor Wat.
- Southeast Asian Archaeology Scholarly Website – funded by the Henry Luce foundation and hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Museum, this website offers a web-based bibliography and a skeletal database.
- The Southeast Asian Treasure Connection – A website about shipwrecks, underwater treasure hunting and archaeology.
- UNESCO World Heritage List - Alphabetical list of the World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO register (812 and counting!)
Archaeology, Anthropology and History blogs and sites [top]
- Anthropology.net - Anthropology.net’s mission is to expand understanding and appreciation of humanity by way of creating a cohesive online community of individuals interested in anthropology. The website intends to lead the anthropological community by primarily promoting and facilitating discussion, reviewing research, stewardship of resources, public and professional education, and the dissemination of knowledge.
- Archaeology – about.com – A great starting point site for archaeology in general, with tons of information on digs, jobs, sites and issues.
- ArchaeologyURLs – A meta site of RSS feeds linking to major archaeology websites around the world.
- Intute: Arts and Humanities – Archaeology – Intute is a free online service providing you with access to the very best Web resources for education and research. The service is created by a network of UK universities and partners. Subject specialists select and evaluate the websites in our database and write high quality descriptions of the resources.
- NAUSICAÄ – French National Sea Experience Center, in Boulogne-sur-Mer (Northern France), is a Science Center entirely dedicated to the relationship between Mankind and the Sea. Its goal is to incite the general public to discover the sea and to love it, while raising its awareness on the need for a better management of marine resources. They have an extensive directory of links, and SEAARCH is listed under Marine Archaeology in the Culture & Leisure section. (This link goes to NAUSICAÄ’s links page)
- New Archaeology – A general archaeology site with a British focus.
- World Archaeological Congress – The World Archaeological Congress is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization and is the only archaeological organisation with elected global representation. Its programs are run by members who give their time in a voluntary capacity. Membership is open to archaeologists, heritage managers, students and members of the public. WAC seeks to promote interest in the past in all countries, to encourage the development of regionally-based histories and to foster international academic interaction. It is committed to the scientific investigation of the past, ethical archaeological practice and the protection of cultural heritage worldwide. It supports the empirical investigation and appreciation of the political contexts within which research is conducted and interpreted, and promotes dialogue and debate among advocates of different views of the past. WAC is committed to diversity and to redressing global inequities in archaeology through conferences, publications and scholarly programs. It has a special interest in protecting the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples, minorities and economically disadvantaged countries, and encourages the participation of Indigenous peoples, researchers from economically disadvantaged countries and members of the public.
Journals [top]
- Asian Perspectives – Asian Perspectives is a peer-reviewed journal focusing on the archaeology of Asia and the Pacific region. Articles from 1955-2008 are available online for download.
- Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient – One of the oldest Asian studies journals, BEFEO publishes in French and English. Archives available from 1901-2003.
- Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association – Another international peer-reviewed journal for archaeology in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. Journal is open access.
- Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society – Originally Journal of the Straits Branch, and then Malayan Branch and now the Straits Branch, the journal first published in 1878 and contains many scholarly articles on the culture, history and archaeology of Malaysia and its peoples.
- Journal of the Siam Society – Established in 1904, the Journal of the Siam Society publishes original scholarly articles in English pertaining to Thailand. Subscription, index available online.
Research Resources [top]
- Acronyms used by Asian/Pacific Scholars: a Dictionary – Maintained by Ciolek and Noyce at the Research School of Asian and Pacific Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra, this is a comprehensive A-Z web resource for scholars in the Asian and Pacific region. Note that the abbreviation for this website is SEAArch.
- Asian Studies Toolbar – A great web tool for researchers focusing in asia, the Asian Studies toolbar is an add-on to your Firefox and Internet Explorer browser with built in links to numerous Asian resources – weather forecasts, newspapers, and yes, this website as well.
- H-SEASIA Discussion Network – H-SEASIA is a forum for discussion and communications regarding the history and study of Southeast.
- ResearchSEA – ResearchSEA is Asia’s first research news portal, a one-stop centre where journalists and members of the public can gain access to news and local experts from the research world in Asia.
- Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-Lu – The Ming Shi-Lu is an open access resource to the annals of Ming China (1368 – 1644), in which place names and polities in Southeast Asia is featured greatly.
- Southeast Asian Archaeology Scholarly Website – funded by the Henry Luce foundation and hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Museum, this website offers a web-based bibliography and a skeletal database.
Museums [top]
- Angkor National Museum – Opened in 2007, the Angkor National Museum is located in Siem Reap and promises to show visitors the splendours of the ancient Angkor civilisation.
- Asian Civilisations Museum - The museum’s collection features archaeological artefacts from Southeast Asia, China and India.
- Bangkok National Museum – Official website of the Bangkok National Museum, which houses an archaeological and art history collection.
- Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture – A museum dedicated to the sculpture of the ancient Cham, centred in South Vietnam. Website is in Vietnamese and English.
- Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (Department of Museums, Malaysia)
- Museum Nasional Indonesia – The Indonesian National Museum.
- Museum Pusaka Nias – Or the Museum of Nias Heritage in Nias Island, Sumatra. The blogsite is mainly in Bahasa Indonesia.
- Ni Xue Tang – A private museum in Singapore dedicated to Buddhist art.
- Sculpture of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia – Virtual tour of exhibition of the same name that was in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. in 1997.
- National Museum of Singapore - Collection showcases the history of Singapore from the 14th century to modern times.
- Perak Man and the Lenggong Archaeological Museum - by Liz Price, spelaelogical consultant. Posted in 2004 at wildasia.net.
- Sarawak Museum – Borneo’s oldest museum has collections featuring archaeology and ethnology.
- Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum – The museum is located in the Bangkok University. Website in Thai, but there are links to the English-language newsletter which is regularly published.
- Virtual Collection of Masterpieces – Run by ASEMUS, a network of Asian and European museums, featuring some of the best offerings from the network’s collections.
UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites in SEA[top]
- UNESCO World Heritage List - Alphabetical list of the World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO register (812 and counting!)
- Angkor – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Ban Chiang Archaeological Site – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Borobudur Temple Compounds – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Citadel of the Ho Dynasty – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Complex of Hue Monuments – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Historic City of Ayutthaya – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Hoi An Ancient Town – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca – UNESCO World Heritage Site page.
- My Son Sanctuary – UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Prambanan Temple Compunds – UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Sangiran Early Man Site – UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
- Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape – UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Cambodia [top]
- Angkor Guide – An independent website by Johann Reinhart Zieger that provides background information to the many temples at Angkor, including practical information about visiting them.
- APSARA Authority – The Authority for the Protection and Managemen of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap. I think the name says it all.
- CISARK – Carte Interactive des Sites Archeologiques Khmers – By the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia, detailing the Khmer sites in the region.
- Greater Angkor Project (GAP) – An “international, multidisciplinary research programme interested in the decline of urbanism at Angkor”. The project is coordinated by the University of Sydney.
- Heritage Watch – Heritage Watch aims to address the problem of the trade in antiquities in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia, by education campaigns, tourism campaigns and other means.
- Living Angkor Road Project – A joint project between Cambodia and Thailand seeks to trace an ancient royal road between Angkor ad Phimai.
- Lower Mekong Archaeological Project – Run by the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.
- Origins of Angkor Archaeological Project - Directed by Professor Charles Higham, the Origins of Angkor project is a “multi-disciplinary research project being undertaken by the University of Otago Department of Anthropology and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. The aim of the project is to assess the seminal aspects of the social, cultural and technological development in the Mun River valley of Northeast Thailand”.
- Virtual Sambor Prei Kuk – A digital reconstruction of a 7th century temple from the University of California, Berkley
East Timor (Timor Leste) [top]
Laos [top]
- Middle Mekong Archaeology Project – Directed by Dr Joyce White of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, MMAP is the project site of a survey of a portion of the Mekong river in Laos.
- Lao-UNESCO Programme for “Safeguarding the Plain of Jars”
Indonesia [top]
- Borobudur on Project Jigsaw – by the Australian National University.
- Indonesia (Journal) – From the website: “”Indonesia Journal”, is a semi-annual journal devoted to the timely study of Indonesia’s culture, history, government, economy, and society. It features original scholarly articles, interviews, translations, and book reviews. Published since April 1966, the journal provides area scholars and interested readers with contemporary analysis of Indonesia and an extensive archive of research pertaining to the nation and region. The journal is published by Cornell University’s Southeast Asia Program.” Articles dated before 2000 are available free for download.
- Banda Islands Archaeology Website - An archaeology project in the Banda Islands in East Indonedia led by the University of Washington and Gadjah Mada University to uncover the archaeology of this region.
- Banda Islands Field School Blog – A blog run by the students and instructors attending an 8-week field school at the Banda Islands in early 2009.
- EFEO Jakarta blog (French/Bahasa Indonesia) – Blog run by the Jakarta branch of the École française d’Extrême-Orient.
Malaysia [top]
- Caves of Malaysia – run by speleologist Liz Price, a good source of geological, botanical, zoological and archaeological information to caves in Malaysia.
- Heritage Trust of Malaysia – Badan Warisan, or the Heritage Trust of Malaysia, is an NGO dedicated to conserving and educating about Malaysia’s built heritage.
- History of the Malay Peninsula – An informative overview about the ancient history of the Malay Peninsula, by writer Sabri Zain, starting from the 1st century AD. Brief introductions to the Buddhist and Hindu periods to the start of the Melaka Sultanate.
- Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS) - Incorporating the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (JMBRAS), that publishes occasional papers on Malaysian archaeology.
- Malaysian Timeline – A timeline describing the preiods of Malaysian history from prehistory to modern times.
- Maritime Asia – Website of the Maritime Archaeology Exhibition at the Muzium Negara, featuring 7 shipwrecks found in Malaysia’s waters.
- Nanhai Marine Archaeology Sdn. Bhd. – A Malaysia-based company the specialises in historical shipwrecks and the history and development of Chinese and Southeast Asian ceramics.
- The Niah Cave Project – An archaeological project by the University of Leicester.
- Peninsular Malaysia’s Oldest Prehistoric Site - by Liz Price a freelance spelaeological consultant in an article posted in 2002 at wildasia.net, a nature conservation site.
- Perak Man and the Lenggong Archaeological Museum - by Liz Price, spelaelogical consultant. Posted in 2004 at wildasia.net.
- The Cultured Rainforest Project – is headed by the University of Cambridge to investigate the people of the Kelabit Highlands and their interactions with the forest in the present and past.
Myanmar (Burma) [top]
- Bob Hudson’s Slightly Whimsical Archaeology of Myanmar (Burma) & Archaeology of South East Asia Website – The site’s title may be a mouthful, but the content sure is more than “whimsical”. Dr Hudson is one of the rare few who have done scholarship on the archaeology of the country formerly known as Burma. He also has some primers on Buddhist archaeology.
- Department of Archaeology – The Myanmar department of archaeology falls under the Ministry of Culture.
Philippines [top]
- Archaeological Studies Programme, University of the Philippines
- Heritage Conservation Advocates – The Heritage Conservation Advocates (HCA) campaigns for the preservation and promotion of historical and archaeological sites in Cagayan de Oro and vicinities.
- Hukay - The journal of the University of the Philippines’ Archaeological Studies Programme.
- International Council of Monuments and Sites, Philippines – ICOMOS Philippines maintains a blog on the industrial heritage of the Philippines.
- KAPI, Katipunan Arkeologists ng Pilipinas, Inc – KAPI is a non-profit professional archaeological community of the Philippines.
- Wilhelm G. Solheim II Foundation for Philippine Archaeology
Singapore [top]
- Heritage Journal, The – Published by the National Heritage Board, the journal “publishes research articles on the history, culture and the art practices of Asia, with an emphasis on material culture, cultural resource management and museum practice”. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be updated past 2005.
- Maritime Explorations – Maritime Explorations is a Singapore-based salvage and project coordination company specialising in historical shipwrecks.
- Southeast Asian Archaeology – Focuses mainly on Singapore, with links to ongoing projects in Indonesia.
- yesterday.sg - Singapore’s heritage metablog that covers museums, local history and collective memories.
Thailand [top]
- Ban Chiang Project, The – Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, the Ban Chiang Project is a comprehensive website about Ban Chiang with the aims: “to introduce newcomers to the fascinating archaeological discoveries at Ban Chiang; and second, to keep our friends and colleagues informed on our progress”.
- Highland Archaeology Project in Pang Mapha District, Mea Hong Son Province Phase 2 – a multidisciplinary archaeological project investigating the different cultures from ancient times to present in in Northwest Thailand.
- Living Angkor Road Project – A joint project between Cambodia and Thailand seeks to trace an ancient royal road between Angkor ad Phimai.
- Office of Archaeology, Thai Fine Arts Department – Just like what it says, but the site is in Thai.
- Origins of Angkor Archaeological Project - Directed by Professor Charles Higham, the Origins of Angkor project is a “multi-disciplinary research project being undertaken by the University of Otago Department of Anthropology and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. The aim of the project is to assess the seminal aspects of the social, cultural and technological development in the Mun River valley of Northeast Thailand”.
- Temple Site at Phimai – A computer recontruction of the Khmer temple site of Phimai.
Vietnam [top]
- Du lich Phu Yen – Information on the Tu Yen stone instruments by the Phu Yen tourism department.
- Viet Nam prehistory - A quick and pictoral overview of the prehistory of Viet Nam.

