Roman Bronze Oil Lamp

• Location: Phong Tuek is a subdistrict (tambon) located on the western bank of the Mae Klong River in the Tha Maka district of Kanchanaburi province, in western Thailand.
• Historical Significance: It is an ancient settlement site with archaeological vestiges, indicating its importance in the past.
• Archaeological Finds: Significant findings include a 7th-8th century Vishnu image, now housed in nearby Wat Dong Sak, and other artefacts transferred to the Bangkok National Museum.
• Cultural Context: The artefacts found at Phong Tuek have been identified as being from the Dvaravati period (6th to 8th century), with some items showing influences from Chenla and Prei Khmeng cultures.
• Archaeological Investigations: French scholar George Cœdès and English antiquarian H. G. Quaritch Wales conducted archaeological investigations in the area in 1927 and 1936 respectively.
• Present Day: The area still retains much of its rural character, with prevalent banana groves and fields of sugar cane, corn, and chilies. Ancient artifacts continue to be encountered by local residents during agricultural work. 

Important Note: The search results also mention a "Pong Tuek" located in Cambodia. However, based on the context of your query asking about a "region" and the detailed archaeological information provided, it's likely you are interested in the Thai location

The Early Byzantine Lamp from Pong Tuk

Brigitte Borell

Abstract

Three different dates spanning more than half a millennium

have been suggested for this bronze lamp. The two early datings

clearly have to be reconsidered. Here new evidence is brought to

clarify the dating of the lamp to the Early Byzantine period. It belongs

to a class of bronze lamps common in the Eastern Mediterranean

area in this period. In addition, it is compared to some very similar

lamps forming a closely related group; the lamps of this group might

have been manufactured in Byzantine Egypt. The archaeological

importance of the Pong Tuk lamp lies in the fact that an Eastern

Mediterranean artefact of the fifth or probably sixth century CE

has been found in Thailand. It has to be seen in the context of long-

distance trade in that period via the Red Sea to India and beyond

which is described in great detail in a written Western source of the

sixth century CE.1