the Ban Chiang pottery in your local museum might be looted — there was a literal federal raid over this

Bit of a different one but it belongs in any 'ancient tech of Asia' archive. Ban Chiang, northeast Thailand (Udon Thani area), prehistoric site famous for its painted spiral pottery and early bronze. Back in 1971 a bungled early dating test made one pot look WAY older than it was, headlines screamed……