Abstract

• Lateritic culture ranges from Cambodia, Thailand to Lower Myanmar in Southeast Asia. Periodization of laterite artifacts is dated back from the second century A.D. The earliest laterite site is P’ong Tük in Thailand, and belongs to the 2nd century A.D. At the Botahtaung pagoda in Yangon, a conical casket of laterite of this relic chamber belongs to the seventh century A.D. In Lobpuri, the centre of the Old Mons, the temples of laterite, were built in the tenth century A.D. In Cambodia, religious monuments of laterite firstly appeared in the late quarter of the 9th century A.D. The Mons of Lower Myanmar also created the art of laterite in masonary in which the most famous site is the Kyaik Htee Zaung pagoda, the largest number of laterite remains. Other areas of laterite culture widespread in the delta and coastal strip. The total sites of them have over seventy places and most of them are in Mon State. Almost all the remains belong to the Buddhist Mon. At present, sculptures of literite are sold for secular decoration. Buddhist sacredness of literite are survived at the Kyaik Htee Zaung. Accordingly. laterite culture is prominent among the Mon-Khmer peoples.