An illuminating account of the dynamics and mechanism of the spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia.
The Khorat Plateau is a landscape of roughly 155,000 square kilometers of what is now northeast Thailand and central Laos. Despite the rich evidence for the region's dynamism and development in the metal age, knowledge of subsequent first millennium developments on the Khorat Plateau remains limited. This book provides a new picture of the region in the first and early second millennia, adding to the understanding of the development of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Through a combination of archaeological and art historical analysis with a historical ecology approach, Murphy traces the outlines of Buddhism's spread into the region, along its major river systems. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and archaeological surveys, Murphy reveals the Khorat Plateau as having a distinctive Buddhist culture, including new forms of art and architecture, and a characteristic aesthetic.