Archaeologists have uncovered a rare ancient gold hair ornament at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Phetchaburi, adding to a growing collection of valuable artefacts from a burial believed to date back about 2,000 years.
The Fine Arts Department (FAD) said the discovery was made last Friday while officials were relocating the first group of excavated skeletons to the department's Conservation Science Centre in Pathum Thani for preservation and study.
FAD director-general Phanombut Chandarachote said archaeologists found a large gold hair ornament, a cylindrical gold earring and several gold beads alongside Skeleton No.4.
The newly uncovered hair ornament is larger than a similar gold piece previously found at the site.
The first group of four skeletons has been transferred to the conservation centre, where specialists will clean, preserve and analyse the remains and associated artefacts.
The operation was carried out by archaeologists from the Fine Arts Office 1 in Ratchaburi, museum curators and conservation scientists.
The department is preparing to relocate a second group of skeletons, as well as a child's burial covered by a large bronze vessel. Officials are developing specialised support structures to ensure the fragile remains can be moved without damaging the archaeological evidence. Excavation work has been accelerated since early this month because groundwater, soil salinity and seasonal humidity threatened to rapidly deteriorate the skeletons and corrode bronze artefacts.
During the initial recovery on July 2, archaeologists found two gold rings beside Skeleton No.4.
