Ancient paintings found in Krabi cave

More than 60 ancient paintings, thought to aged around 3-5 thousand years, have been found at the Khao Pru Tee Mae cliff in Chong Lom Mountain, Ao Luek, Krabi.

A team of archaeologists from the Fine Arts Department last month found more than 30 paintings of monkeys, humans, elephants and geometric forms along the 300 metres cliff.

This week an additional 30 paintings have also been found near the first area. These paintings show stories of adults and children, marine life, fishermen and elephants.

Officials believe that this area had been a community where ancient human lived in the distant past.

Niwat Wattanayommanapohn, from Krabi Provincial Cultural Council says, “This area has only been half surveyed. Locals say, many more ancient remains and ancient items have yet to be discovered in this area.”

“Krabi has many cliffs and caves where ancient colour paintings, stone tools, beads, pottery and skeletal remains have been found.It is believed that Krabi has been home to homosapiens since the period 25,000- 35,000 B.C. In recorded times, it was called “Ban Thai Samor”, and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, c. 1200 A.D., Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsular’s east coast better known today as Nakorn Sri Thammarat.” – krabi-tourism.com

“In 1872, King Chulalongkorn elevated these to town status, called Krabi, a word that preserves in its meaning the monkey symbolism of the old standard.” – Wikipedia