The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the causes, the prevalence and patterning of the traumatic injuries that representing the conflict and violence. By examined the traumatic lesions on the human skeletal remains from the Iron Age site at Non Ban Jak, Kho Hong Sub-District, Non Sung District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province from 2011-2015 excavation seasons, and compared with the previous reports on the human skeletal remains from the prehistoric populations in mainland Southeast Asia. To test the hypothesized that trauma prevalence increased over time from the Neolithic to the Iron Age, in response to increasing socio-political complexity and population density, and the environmental changes.

The results reveal that one quarter of the adults from Non Ban Jak had antemortem traumatic lesions. Males have fractures to the cranium and foot differ from females who likely to have fractures to the clavicle, forearm and ribs, mostly caused by accidental or occupational activities in daily life. However, the incidences of cranial trauma and a probable parry fracture on the ulna sustained in self-defense indicated the interpersonal violence within this population.

According to the transition from the Neolithic to the Iron Age, the prevalence of trauma on the Southeast Asia populations increased from 7.8 percent in the first period to 12.6 percent in the last period. Associated with the archaeological evidence of the Iron Age like the defensive citadels, and the innovative iron weapons such as projectile points and long swords were supporting the increase of violent conflict that influenced and shaped by the degree of social complexity.