MYANMAR’S continuous historical chronology (Myanmar’s uninterrupted historical timeline) is a great historical record that has existed seamlessly and successively, supported by solid evidence, from the primordial era up to the present day.
This week, we would like to present a book compiled through the dedicated efforts of renowned Myanmar historians who researched and uncovered the story of the continuous history of Myanmar.
The preface for the book was written by the leading historian of the Myanmar Historical Association, Sayagyi Dr Toe Hla.
He writes… in the past, Myanmar’s history was written mainly based on royal chronicles and Buddhist scriptures. However, after independence, efforts were made to shift from a king-centred historical perspective to a people-centred one, placing greater emphasis on contemporary inscriptions and historical evidence.
“Prehistory” refers to the era before the emergence of writing. In Myanmar, this term only began to gain recognition after the 18th century due to the efforts of scholars. Studying this period is extremely important in order to understand the evolution of humankind and the origins of civilization.
Now, the Department of Archaeology and National Museum, together with historians and subject specialists, have conducted excavations and utilized modern technologies, enabling them to discover more complete and detailed information related to prehistory.
Although earlier history books contained many gaps, this book attempts to present Myanmar’s history in a continuous and seamless manner throughout successive eras, supported by reliable evidence. Moreover, it is also a major work that seeks to uncover a new historical narrative previously unknown in Myanmar, especially by presenting extensive evidence related to “Prehistory.”
This book is a historical record that scientifically examines how early humans settled in Myanmar from the earliest times, supported by archaeological remains and scientific research findings.
Regarding the fossil fuels, it reads… during the late Palaeozoic era, the “Nwabangyi Dolomite” rock formation was deposited across many areas of Shan State in Myanmar. The rock layers found within this formation are sediments deposited in shallow marine environments. Fossils discovered together with these layers include ammonite fossils and conodont fossils. Based on this evidence, the book states that during the Early Triassic period, around 245 to 251 million years ago, Myanmar was geographically connected to regions including Russia, North America, the Caspian region, Pakistan, Timor, south-west of China, northern Thailand, and Malaysia.
In conclusion, this book is illustrated with various historical photographs and printed on high-quality colour paper with a hardcover binding. It comprehensively presents Myanmar’s prehistoric history, much of which had previously been unknown or unread, through contemporary records and reliable evidence. Therefore, it is a book that anyone interested in Myanmar history, historical researchers, and students should definitely read.