Prehistoric Petroglyphs at Pha Phak Wan

In addition to archaeological sites which involve either ancient residences or tombs, there is another kind archaeological site in Isan region: petroglyphs. Petroglyph refers to images created on a rock surface or a cave wall. Prehistoric petroglyphs at Pha Phak Wan are at Ban Phu Ta Kham, Song Dao district, Sakon Nakhon province, or 18 kilometers away from the headquarter of Phu Pha Lek national park. These 3,600-year-old prehistoric paintings were found on an enormous rock. They feature an image of women standing in line and holding each other’s shoulder. The petroglyphs were created on one side of a gigantic sandstone that measured 12 meters from the bottom to the top, 5 meters above the ground on the western cave wall are the paintings in red ink. The paintings reveal two group of people. The upper one is a silhouette of people wearing bobbed hair, spreading legs, bending down, raising their arched arms and opening their palms. It is estimated that the people in the upper painting must be a group of conductors, and that they must be controlling a group of people in the lower painting. The lower painting contains an outline drawing of 8 people standing in line and turning their faces to the same direction. It looks as if they must be performing a dance routine, as everyone in the lower painting was bending down, tilting their pelvic and raising their hands in a same manner. It is also assumed that the dance routine might be quick because the hair wrapped in the back bounces. The petroglyphs utilizes spacing to determine the distance between two points where both groups of people stand, i.e. the dancers in the lower painting look closer to the audience, while the conductors in the upper painting look further away. The park provides tourists’ living quarters. For camping, it is necessary to bring your own camping gears and it costs you 30 baht/night. For more information, please contact Phu Pha Lek national park, Ban Tha Wat, Pathum Wapee subdistrict, Song Dao district, Sakon Nakhon province, postal code 47190 or tel. 0 1849 9546. Alternatively, should you have enquiries about the accommodation, please contact the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bang Khen district, Bangkok or tel. 0 2562 0760. You can also the webpage www.dnp.go.th Despite the location in Song Dao district, Sakon Nakhon province, the national park headquarter is closer to Udon Thani province. The easiest way to get there is starting from Udon Thani province. Drive along the Udon Thani-Sakon Nakhon route on Highway 22. At KM 95, turn right to enter Ror Por Chor road (Ban Tai-Don Som Hong) until reaching Ban Pone Sawang. Make another right turn at KM 17 onto Ror Por Chor road (Ban Pone Sawang-Phu Pha Lek). Continue for 6 kilometers, then you should arrive at the headquarter of Phu Pha Lek national park. khon province