Colonialism in Vietnam and Southeast Asia in the late pre-European period

Colonialism, colonization, and the expansion of European powers into the New World, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region after 1500 CE has been identified as one of the central areas of interest for historical archaeology. To date, far less emphasis has been placed on the historical and archaeological processes associated with colonialism in Southeast Asia before the arrival of the Europeans around 1500 CE. Clearly, there was widespread seaborne trade throughout the region, and underwater archaeology is beginning to reveal the extent and nature of some of that seaborne trade. Archaeological evidence in the form of material culture in this context assumes a far greater importance in light of the relative paucity of available written sources.