Direct dating of a Neolithic burial in the Laang Spean cave (Battambang Province, Cambodia): First regional chrono-cultural implications

If, because of recent geo-political events which took place in Cambodia, the remarkable discovery made at the end of the 19th century on the banks of Lake Tonle Sap of the Neolithic site of Samrong Sen has fallen from current public knowledge, Neolithic sites situated in caves remain the least-well documented of sites throughout the whole of South-East Asia. The discovery of a Neolithic burial in a cave dating from 3310 BP is the significant result of recent prehistoric excavations commenced in 2009. This discovery provides us with an original chronological, cultural landmark for South-East Asia, at the beginning of the Ages of Metal. An in-depth description of this grave allows us to envisage preliminary regional comparisons, thereby permitting a broader taking into consideration of the evolution of funereal practices in this part of the world.