Just across the present-day border into Vietnam, renewed
work by Vietnamese and a joint French-Viet expedition has
expanded our understanding of the Funan Culture as set out
in the classic reports by Malleret (1959–63). Excavations at
the Oc Eo/Ba Thê complex have revealed a Phase I settlement dating to the mid-1st – mid-3rd centuries CE with many
India-related materials such as kendis and roofing tiles with
brick buildings appearing in Phase II during the3 rd century,
marking the transition to history in the area (Manguin
2004:289-94). These flood-plain settlements at Oc Eo seemed to have flourished in succeeding years only to be
abandoned by the mid-7th century (Manguin 2004:298–300)
soon after the traditional date for the establishment of Dvaravati Culture in Thailand.