One of the most important ancient ceramic sites in Thailand is in Ban Chiang. It is located in the Korat Plateau in north-eastern Thailand, where a large quantity of fine pottery several thousand years old were found. Before the discovery, this area was thought to be an uncivilized backwater, although it actually possessed a highly developed culture that had a great impact on the whole region. The deepest levels of Ban Chiang can be dated to B.C. 3600.