Work on tomb complete

“Based on the excavated items, [we] can say that the excavation process is 99-per-cent complete. The remaining 1 per cent is to find the stone inscription. [We] hope to find it somewhere under the ground,” said Mickey Heart, deputy leader of the excavation team.

Excavation will resume after the Thingyan festival (water festival) next month. A shelter has been erected to protect the burial site from rain, Heart said. 

The tomb is believed to be the resting place of King Uthumpon, the 32nd monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, who was taken as a prisoner of war during the invasion of Ayutthaya in 1767. He died in Amarapura after 29 years as a monk.

Seven archaeologists from the Thai Design Consortium, other Thai archaeologists and Myanmar experts from the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library (Mandalay) started the excavation last month. On March 13, they found murals, an urn and other artefacts. They subsequently found a unique site plan. “Although the excavated items have been damaged due to weather and termites, 70 per cent of them are in good condition. [We] will only be able to verify these items after negotiating with Thai historians and archaeologists,” said a member of the excavation team.

The excavated items have been entrusted with Mandalay Region’s archaeology department. If the tomb contents are verified as those of the former Thai king, Thailand and Myanmar will negotiate what to do with them.