Noel Hidalgo Tan

Dr Noel Hidalgo Tan is a Singaporean archaeologist. He runs the SEAArch | Southeast Asian Archaeology website, and is currently the Senior Specialist in Archaeology at the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA) based in Bangkok. His main research interest is in the rock art of Southeast Asia and is engaged in a variety of projects in the archaeology of Southeast Asia. He serves on the Archaeology Advisory Panel of Singapore and is a Expert Member of ICOMOS ICAHM (International Committee of Archaeological Heritage Management).

About Me

Hi! I’m Noel – an archaeologist from Singapore living and working in Bangkok. I’ve been involved with Southeast Asian archaeology for over a decade now, and have been interested in it for a lot longer. Growing up in Singapore, there was not much opportunity to learn about archaeology in a formal setting – there are no archaeology degrees offered in the country, and the closest was in high school history. So I began this website in 2006 to collect news about the archaeology of the region, mainly as a way for me to learn what was going on in the region, and since then the site has grown to become an educational resource for the public.

While in Singapore, I was lucky enough to participate in a few archaeological excavations, and went on to study archaeology at universities overseas. I went on to complete a Masters and PhD in archaeology in Malaysia and Australia, focusing on rock art which remains one of my main research interests. After finishing my PhD at the Australian National University in 2014, I moved to Bangkok to my current role as the Senior Specialist in Archaeology at the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA).

At SPAFA, I oversee the centre’s archaeology programmes which are focused on capacity-building for archaeologists in the region and to broadly promote the field of Southeast Asian archaeology and cultural heritage. I am also the Managing Editor for the centre’s academic journal. I also continue to research the rock art of Southeast Asia and maintain this website.

Below you can find more information about my research and projects, as well as links to my other professional pages. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Last updated: 23 July 2023

In this page

Publications

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Journal Articles (peer-reviewed)

Edited Books

Books

Book Chapters

Tan, N. H., & Pookaiyaudom, G. (forthcoming). Sacredness is in the Thai of the Beholder. The Intersection of the Sacred and Archaeology
Tan, N. H., & Pookaiyaudom, G. (forthcoming). Sustainability Strategies for Tourism Management of Archaeological Sites. Proceedings of the International Conference On Archaeology 2019: “Promoting Archaeology Towards Heritage And Tourism”
Tan, N. H. (2022). Leave a like and subscribe: Using social and digital media to engage schoolkids and children of all ages. In N. Agnew, J. Deacon, N. Hall, T. Little, T. McClintock, P. Robinson, S. Sullivan and P Taçon (Eds.), Networking for Rock Art: Global Challenges, Local Solutions (pp.27-28). Los Angeles, CA: Getty Conservation Institute.
Tan, N. H., & Scott, V. N. (2021). Recent Developments in Rock Art Research in Southeast Asia (2015-2019). In P. Bahn, N. Franklin, & M. Strecker (Eds.), Rock Art Studies: News of the World VI (pp. 146-157). Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology.
Tan, N. H., & Hoerman, R. (2019). Mainland Southeast Asia: Rock Art. In C. Smith (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology.
Tan, N. H. (2019). Protecting Heritage, Promoting Tourism. In N. H. Tan & S. Pokrajen (Eds.), Perspectives on Sustainability and Tourism Management at Archaeological and Heritage Sites (pp. 6-26). Bangkok: SEAMEO SPAFA.
Tan, N. H. (2019). Rock Art in Mainland Southeast Asia. In J. Clottes & B. Smith (Eds.), Rock Art in East Asia: A Thematic Study (pp. 126-147). Paris: International Council on Monuments and Sites.
Tan, N. H. (2018). Emerging Consciousness and New Media: The Management of Rock Art in Southeast Asia and New Opportunities for Communicating Its Significance. In N. Agnew, J. Deacon, N. Hall, T. McClintock, S. Sullivan, & P. Taçon (Eds.), Art On The Rocks: Engaging the Public and Professionals to Network for Rock Art Conservation (pp. 71-78). Los Angeles, CA: The Getty Conservation Institute.
Tan, N. H., Sukkham, A., Boyle, G., Tanompolkrang, W., Bowonsachoti, J., & Singhaseni, D. (2016). “What Rock Art?” Stories from Northeast Thailand. In L. M. Brady & P. S. C. Taçon (Eds.), Relating to Rock Art in the Contemporary World (pp. 37-58). Boulder, Colorado: University of Colorado Press.
Scott, V. N. and Tan, N. H. (2016). Recent Rock Art Studies in Southeast Asia. In: P Bahn, N Franklin, M Strecker & E Devlet (eds.) Rock Art Studies: News of the World V. Oxford: Archaeopress, 163-170.
Tan, N. H., & Taçon, P. S. C. (2014). Rock Art and the Sacred Landscapes of Mainland Southeast Asia. In D. Gillette, W. B. Murray, M. Greer, & M. H. Hayward (Eds.), Rock Art and Sacred Landscapes (pp. 67-84). New York: Springer Science.
Taçon, P.S.C. & Tan, N.H. (2012). Recent rock art research in Southeast Asia and Southern China. In P. Bahn and N. Franklin (eds.), Rock Art Studies: News of the World IV (pp. 207-214). Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Tan, N. H., & Chia, S. (2012). Revisiting the Rock Art at Gua Tambun, Perak, Malaysia. In M. L. Tjoa-Bonatz, A. Reinecke, & D. Bonatz (Eds.), Crossing Borders: Selected Papers from the 13th International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists, Volume 1 (pp. 181-198). Singapore: NUS Press.
Tan, N. H. (2010). Pendekatan Baru Dalam Kajian Lukisan Prasejarah [New insights into the study of prehistoric paintings]. In S. Chia & Hamid Mohd Isa (Eds.), Archaeological Heritage of Malaysia (Vol. 3, pp. 255-262). Penang: Penerbit Pusat Penyelidikan Arkeologi Global.

Conference Proceedings

Tan, N. H., & Pookaiyaudom, G. (2020). Sustainability Strategies for Tourism Management of Archaeological Sites Proceedings of the International Conference On Archaeology 2019: “Promoting Archaeology Towards Heritage And Tourism”.
Tan, N. H. (2017). Boat rock art from Luang Prabang, Laos Sea and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia (pp. 143-148). Hai Phong: Institute of Archaeology.
Tan, N. H. (2017). Challenges in the development of Underwater Archaeology, past and present: A SEAMEO SPAFA Perspective Sea and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia (pp. 24-28). Hai Phong: Institute of Archaeology.
Tan, N. H. (2016). Rock art as an indication of (Austronesian) migration in Island Southeast Asia. In B. Prasetyo, T. S. Nastiti, & T. Simanjuntak (Eds.), Austronesian Diaspora: A New Perspective (pp. 165-180). Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press.
Tan, N. H. (2016). Elephants in Southeast Asian Rock Art: An Overview. In A. Manatunga (Ed.), Asian Elephants in Culture and Nature (pp. 367-374). Colombo: Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kalaniya, Sri Lanka.
Sukkham, A., Taçon, P.S.C. & Tan, N.H. (2011). Rock art of Phrayanaga (Viking) Cave, southern Thailand: the illustration of ancient vessels. Proceedings from the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage, 8-12 Nov 2011, Manila, Philippines.

Theses

Other Notable Works

Conference and Invited Presentations

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Ancient Rivalries: Archaeology, Nationalism and Tourism in Mainland Southeast Asia. (2022) Presented at the Archaeology, Colonialism, and the History of Tourism online conference organized by Vera-Simone Schulz and Gerhard Wolf (Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut)
Impact Assessment for Rock Art Sites Lessons from the Padalin Caves and Gua Tambun. (2021). Presented at the International Seminar on Protecting Prehistoric and Historic Sites: Introduction to Heritage Impact organized by Jabatan Warisan Negara (Malaysia)
An Introduction to the AAHP Webinar Series: Archaeology and Art History in Southeast Asia. (2021.) Co-presented with Hélène Njioto as part of the Archaeology and Art History of Southeast Asia Programme organized by the Temasek History Research Centre
Rock Art in the context of Southeast Asian Archaeology. (2021). Presented at the National Museum (Malaysia) Volunteers Lecture Series
Southeast Asian Archaeology from a Rock Art Perspective. (2020). Online Seminar organised by the Friends of the Asian Civilisations Museum
Challenges and Opportunities in Safeguarding Underwater Heritage in Southeast Asia. (2020). China and the Maritime Silk Road Conference organised by the Asian Civilisations Museum
Challenges and Opportunities in Safeguarding Underwater Heritage. (2019). Southeast Asia Forum on Underwater Heritage organised in Jakarta and Belitung, Indonesia by Negeri Rempah Foundation and Unesco Jakarta
Rock Art in Southeast Asia Incorporating Social Media Practice. (2019). Rock Art Network Symposium in France and Spain
Sustainability Strategies for Tourism Management of Archaeological Sites. (2019). International Conference On Archaeology 2019: “Promoting Archaeology Towards Heritage And Tourism” in Miri, Malaysia organised by the Department of National Heritage, Malaysia
From Local to Global: Ethics of Preserving our Heritage for the Next Generation. (2019). Global Bioethics Initiative Summer School in Bangkok, Thailand
The Two-World Problem: The Language of Archaeology in the Post-Colonial Landscape. (2019). Presented at the 3rd SEAMEO SPAFA International Conference on Southeast Asian Archaeology, Bangkok, Thailand
Publish (in English) or Perish: The Two-World problem and Inequalities of Language in Southeast Asian Archaeology. (2019). Decolonising the History of Art and Archaeology on Publishing Cultures in Southeast Asia and Beyond at SOAS, London
The Two-World Problem: the Language of Archaeology in the Post-Colonial Landscape. (2018). Presented at Decolonising Southeast Asia’s Past, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand
How do archaeologists know where to dig? (2018). Pint of Science Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
The Invisible Paintings of Angkor Wat. (2018). The Siam Society, Bangkok, Thailand
The Invisible Paintings of Angkor Wat. (2018). Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore
Protecting Heritage, Promoting Tourism. (2018). Presented at the Workshop on Sustainability and Tourism Management at Archaeological Sites, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Challenges in the development of Underwater Archaeology, past and present: a SEAMEO SPAFA Perspective. (2017). Conference on Sea and Underwater Cultural Heritage of Vietnam and Southeast Asia, Haiphong, Vietnam
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Elephants. (2017). Pint of Science Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
The Rock Art of the Austronesian Region. (2017). Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore
The Unseen Art of Southeast Asia. (2017). The Siam Society, Bangkok, Thailand
State of Knowledge of Rock Arts in Southeast Asia. (2016). Silpakorn University Archaeology Conference, Bangkok, Thailand
Rock art as an indication of Austronesian migration. (2016). The International Symposium on Austronesian Diaspora, Bali, Indonesia
The Art That You Don’t See. (2015). TEDx Singapore
Elephants, Buddhas and Everything in-between: Rock Art of Southeast Asia. (2014). Presented at the Questacon, Canberra, Australia
The Rock Art of Pak Ou Caves, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. (2014). Presented at the 20th Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Congress in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
How much rock art is there in Southeast Asia? (2013). Canberra Archaeological Society, Canberra, Australia
The Curious Case of the Steamship at the Mekong. (2013). Presented at the 2nd International Contact Rock Art Symposium in Darwin, Australia.
Same-same, But Different: The Rock Art of Southeast Asia. (2012). Presented at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore. Public Lecture.
Rock Art and the Sacred Landscapes of Southeast Asia. (2012). First Scholars’ Meeting of Kerdomnel Khmer Foundation on New Discoveries in Art and Archaeology in Cambodia and Southeast Asia in Zaman University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Digital photography for rock art and country report. (2011). Training/Workshop on the Introduction to Rock Art Studies in Southeast Asia in Bangkok, Thailand
Conservation and Site Management at Gua Tambun Rock Art Site, Perak: Issues and Recommendations. (2010). Presented at the National Conference on Preservation and Promotion of Heritage in Penang, Malaysia
Revisiting the Rock Art at Gua Tambun, Perak, Malaysia. (2010). Presented at the 13th International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists in Berlin, Germany.
Current research on the rock art at Gua Tambun. (2009). Presented at the 19th Congress of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Tiger, Tapir, Dugong and Deer: An evaluation of rock art interpretations at Gua Tambun. (2009). Presented at the USM Fellowship Holders’ Symposium in Penang, Malaysia.
Shedding new light on old paintings. (2008). Presented at the National Archaeology Seminar in Penang, Malaysia.
Revisiting the rock art at Tambun. (2008). Presented at the 2nd USM Penang International Postgraduate Convention 2008 in Penang, Malaysia.
Fort Tanjong Katong. (2005). Presented at the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeologists 2005 Conference in Melbourne, Australia.