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Pre-Angkorian Hydraulics in the Mekong Delta
Archaeological investigation in southern Cambodia and Vietnam has revealed significant evidence of ancient canals systems within this region. Water and river systems played important roles within pre-Angkorian sites and polities. For Pre-Angkorian sites, the exact purpose of the canals within the Funan period is subject to debate. Increasing archaeological research has provided greater insight into our understanding of the canal systems of the Funan kingdom.

History
Canals were constructed in Funan Kingdom. The Funan, located within Cambodia and Vietnam, was establishing in the early first century CE, surviving for a few hundred years, declining during the 5th century CE. The Funan are distinguished by their polities and political complexity. Other marked features are evidence of Chinese and Indian trade goods within archaeological deposits. Evidence suggests trade was a major facet of the Funan kingdom.

The Funan Canals, came to light to Europeans when noted by French colonial engineer, Pierre Paris, between 1931 and 1941. Aerial photographic surveys allowed him a new perspective to identify a series of ancient canal systems. The canals linked ancient sites, including Angkor Borei and Óc Eo, as well as connecting these sites to the sea. These aerial surveys prompted Lois Malleret, a French archaeologist, to conduct a major on the ground field program in 1944. Its focus was the Óc Eo site. The Japanese takeover of the French Indochina in September 1940, limited Malleret’s conduct of a second archelogical campaign. More recently archaeological field trips have resumed with a series of notable explorations focusing on the canals and their role in pre-Angkorian civilisation.

Purpose of the Canals
Multiple theories have emerged about the function of the canals. Below, some of the key theories are presented.

Political Complexity
Communication networks is one of the theories put forward for the function on the canals. This theory posits that these canals allowed for communication networks to be established, which supported regional systems of power, through the linking of settlements. Evidence for this theory lies in a series of canals that link to Angkor Borei, a significant seat of power within the Funan period. These canals flank the Takeo river and would have enhanced connection between Angkor Borei and Óc Eo, and other small sites. This would have facilitated regional systems of power to establish connections and networks of communication and trade.. This thesis relies on further archaeological investigation to understand the settlement patterns and the connection between the canals and political complexity of the pre-Angkorian.

Agricultures
Rice production in the Angkor region relied heavily on water resources, and in turn proficient water management to maintain the crops. Evidence of rice production during the Angkorian period and modern day, has led archaeologists to suggest that pre-Angkorian society utilised water management to increase agricultural production. Funan agriculture practices, documented in a 3rd century CE Chinese report, was to sow the seeds one year prior to harvesting and the aim of three harvests each year. Little more is known about any distinctive Funan farming practices. Which leaves speculation of the purpose and possible link with the canals. Aerial and satellite imaging  displays evidence of small canals within the Mekong region, which have been proposed as drainage canals for the flood lands, that allowed the Funan to develop new tracks for rice production, demonstrating the agrarian utility of the canals.

Trade and Transportation
Written accounts and material evidence from archaeological investigations demonstrate evidence of the significant role the Mekong Delta had within trade. Some of the evidence suggests trade connections between the Funan, India, China and possibly Rome. These trade connections have linked to the possibility of the canal systems as providing a basis for trade and transportation in the pre-Angkorian region. Óc Eo may have been a major source of trade within the region. Óc Eo featured a 20km long canal that connected the city to the ocean, which suggests that external traded goods arriving to Cambodia through the costal canal. Evidence of shared goods, such as south Asian  beads found throughout the Funan region presents the concept that foreign trade occurred  to Funan through maritime ports such as Óc Eo, and these goods were transported through Funan through the canals linking the sites.

Òc Eo
Óc Eo is likely to have been a maritime port for the Funan during the pre-Angkorian period. Its most notable features include the 20km canal that links the settlement to the coast and allows for imports and exports to be traded in the site. Similarly, Óc Eo features canals within the polity, including a central canal running through the centre of the settlement, and canals being utilised for irrigation and transport for rice cultivation. In addition to the central and costal canals, there is evidence of a canal running between Óc Eo to Angkor Borei and beyond, displaying further evidence of the canals being used to link Funan polities.

Angkor Borei
Angkor Borei has been referred to as the central polity in regional Funan power systems in the pre-Angkorian region. It has been argued that the canals allowed the polity to control smaller settlements, whilst providing trade and transportation with the smaller populations. Larger canals, such as the canal that linked Angkor Borei to Óc Eo, would have allowed for these significant sites to have greater interaction and sharing of goods and culture.

Significant Research
Below, key research projects surrounding Pre-Angkorian hydraulics are listed.

The Lower Mekong Archaeological Project (1996-2006)
Conducted by the University of Hawaii and Royal University of Fine Arts Cambodia, the project focused on Angkor Borei and its material remains, as well as the role of canals within the site. The project surveyed several sites in the Takeo providence, finding materials remains, but finding on the need for more archaeological surveys in the region to understand pre-Angkorian settlement patterns.

Luminescence dating of canal sediments in Angkor Borei, Mekong delta, Cambodia.
The research conducted by D.W.C. Sanderson, P. Bishop, M.T. Stark and J.Q. Spencer utilised luminesce dating techniques to investigate and date the sedimentary remains found within the ancient canals in the Mekong delta, for the first time. The research provided context to the canal excavation that occurred in the pre-Angkorian period to develop the transportation and agricultural functions of the canals.