The early history of Burma

The early history of Burma

Burma's early history is practically uncharted but by the 8th century the
Mons - who probably originated in Central Asia - occupied the lower
portions of the Irrawaddy basin, while the Burmans had established
themselves on the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy. Burma's subsequent
violent history largely concerns the struggle between these 2 predominant
racial groups. Kings fought wars in order to carry off slaves from the
kingdoms they conquered; it was important to have a large labor force to
build temples and pagodas and to grow rice.

The Glass Palace Chronicle of the Kings of Burma (a 19th century
historical mythology) claims that the Burmese kings were descendants of
the Buddha's family but historians have found no evidence of any ruler
before the 1th century King Anawrahta of Pagan. From the 10th century on,
the Burmans were the largest group; they were also the most important in
terms of their historical, cultural and political contribution to Burma's
heritage. Between the I7th and 19th centuries, the Burmans succeeded in
uniting the country under one monarch on 3 separate occasions. When each
of these empires fragmented, Burma became a muddle of quarrelling races.
In the 19th century, the Burmese frequently clashed with the British and
were defeated in 1885, resulting in the capture and exile of the last
king. Early history

There are traces of some form of settlement in Burma as far back as
2,500-2,000 BC. The Pyus were the first settlers and occupied the upper
Irrawaddy River. The early Pyu city of Sri Kshetra, near present day
Prome, was enclosed in a massive wall and was possibly even bigger than
the later Burmese cities of Pagan and Mandalay. When the Pyu capital was
captured and the people enslaved by the neighboring power in Yunnan, the
Burmese moved into the power vacuum in the Irrawaddy area. The Burmese
came to dominate both the Ryu and the Mon.
The Mons settled in the lower Irrawaddy delta region around Thaton and
were the first people to establish Buddhism in Burma. Little is known
about the earliest phases of Mon art - although their artistic and
architectural skills were obviously coveted and their works have been
unearthed not just in Burma, but also in Thailand and Cambodia. The great
King Anawrahta brought Mon craftsmen to Pagan where their temple and stupa
designs characterized the first recognizable architectural 'period' - the
Mon Period. The last group to migrate from China were the Tai, who fled
the Mongul invasions from the 9th-11th centuries and settled in the hills
on the present Thai-Burma border.
Other Countries: asiatours.net - Home Thailand Golf in
Thailand Myanmar (Burma) Cambodia Laos Hong Kong Singapore
Sri Lanka Maldives