FROM DAILY FOOD TO TRADING GOODS: ARCHAEO-BOTANICAL AND ZOOARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES OF ANCIENT COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Abstract

Recent interdisciplinary studies reveal that around 4,000 to 3,000 years ago, ancient communities in Southern Vietnam domesticated rice, millet, and animals such as pigs and dogs. By the early centuries of the Common Era, archaeological evidence indicates that spices had become part of daily life. It is likely that some of these exotic spices also functioned as valuable trade goods in maritime trading network connect East - West civilizations. These findings suggest that agriculture formed the foundation of socio-economic development for prehistoric communities in Southern Vietnam. Over time, this agricultural base facilitated cultural exchanges, introducing new materials, technic and ideas both before and after the Common Era. As a result, their descendants established the powerful Funan kingdom, which thrived as a key maritime trading hub in Southeast Asia.