The partial remains of two human skeletons, believed to date back to the Bronze Age, were discovered along with clay utensils in Nan province yesterday.
Fine Arts Department officials unearthed the remains thought to have been buried more than 3,000 years ago on a three-rai plot of land in Muang district.
One of two human skeletons, believed to be over 3,000 years old, unearthed in Nan yesterday. Rarinthorn Petcharoen
The excavation was conducted after former Nan senator Santiparb Intharapat told officials of the discovery of several earthenware pieces on his land during construction of a badminton court in tambon Chaiyasathan yesterday.
Apart from the earthenware, bronze axes and ancient beads made from shells and rocks were also found buried next to the bones.
Officials also discovered what looked like Chinese and Vietnamese ceramics and various northern Lanna kilns, possibly dating back about 1,500 years.
The ceramics and the kilns were unearthed from a top layer of soil while the human remains and the utensils were discovered at a deeper level.
Chayada Suwaratchupan, an archaeologist from the 7th Regional Office of the Fine Arts Department, said the discovery indicated people lived in the area before the Buddhist era.
They are the oldest skeletons discovered in Nan, Ms Chayada said.