Thailand's antiquities; Ayutthaya and The National Museum

Ayutthaya is located about 70k north of Bangkok on the Chao Phraya river.  The same river that flows through Bangkok.  Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand after the capital of Sukothai was absorbed by Ayutthaya in 1350 until the Burmese destroyed the city in 1767.  Thirty-three Kings ruled over Ayutthaya during that time, and it was the largest city in the world, a center of trade with over a million people, described by visiting Europeans as the most magnificent city in the world.  All that ended when the Burmese burned and looted the city.  All that remains now are the ruins, the river, and the modern city that was built around these ruins.  Many of the items in the National Museum in Bangkok come from the Dhvarti period- before Thailand, the Sukothai period, the Ayutthaya period, and the Bangkok period.
The following is an ancient bell.  It looks like a rock to me.  I guess a rock, can be a bell, or a bell can be something other than something you ring.

The following I got into trouble for photographing.  I didn't realize there was no photography in this room of the museum.  Oops.  These are the relics recovered from Wat Phra Mahathat.  When a Wat has the title Mahathat, there is a relic of the Buddha interred at the Wat.  Archeologists recovered this relic  17m below the main stupa and the ornate package surrounding it to great fanfare in 1956.  I can't remember exactly, but I think the first and largest stupa was lead, next silver, then a gold alloy, Next ebony with a gold top, and then redwood.  Last was a gold and gem encrusted stupa that held a tiny speck 1/8 the size of a rice seed.  Relics would often be bones, teeth, hairs of Buddha, and it is believed that they can create a clone of themselves.  Very Indian Jones.

At the National Museum in Bangkok free tours in English are offered on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30.  I highly recommend this.  In fact it might just be the best thing you can do in Bangkok.  I learned more here, from my wonderful guide on our 3 1/2 hour tour, then from any other place or book.  I will share some of this knowledge in this blog.  For example, the meaning of the color red in Thai culture.  Here in the mural below, you see a red lighting bolt shape surrounding Buddha.  The red is supposed to 1) invisible and 2) it draws attention to an important thing.  Often the ceiling of a temple is painted red to signify that even within the walls of the temple, we are still connected to the universe.

The following shot barely captures the splendor of the royal pyres used for funerals of royals.  Again, you see the Naga.  A LOT OF THEM!  With crystal eyes and colored mirrors and gilded scales.  And this is real gold leaf.  They were restored last year with gold leaf and q-tips.  They are pulled by men dressed in red.  That is because the red makes them invisible, and it looks as if the royal pyre is floating in the air pulled by the naga.  If you have a strong stomach check out the customs dealing with royal deaths in Thailand.

Thailand is a land of elephants.  Below is some carved ivory tusks.  Notice again the point of the ivory is a naga head.  The other photo was taken from the Royal White Elephant Museum at the Dusit Palace.  Touring the Dusit Palace compound took up an entire afternoon.  There was so much to see.  There is the largest teak mansion in the world, where kings and queens lived not too long ago.  There is many textile museums where you can learn more about Thai weaving and patterns from different Thai regions and ethnicities.  Also, there is the elephant coral.  Any white elephant born in Thailand is very auspicious and belongs to the king.  This was where the elephants used to live.  Today, there are 10 white elephants  http://www.thailandelephant.org/en/royalstable.html    Here is a video of HRH and some of the Auspicious Elephants. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1spaYhmFCw

Those of you who know me know I love beads and rocks.  Beads made out of rocks are cool too.  Here on display are some very old beads from the U-Thong kingdom.  This was located in the area of Suphanburi.  This kingdom, later moved to form the Ayutthaya kingdom.  Suphan Buri was where I lived for my first 10 weeks here in Thailand.  It is where my Thai "family" live.  While in Suphan Buri, I purchased a strand of these ancient beads.  I love them, and wear them every day.  Some are colored glass and some are agate.

Speaking of elephants, this god is Ganesh.  Since learning some of his stories, I feel like I see him everywhere I look.  He is a god who always says "yes" if you pray hard enough.  Therefore, he is in many boys pockets as they ask a girl out.  He is also the patron saint of arts.  Therefore, my museum ticket had a symbol of Ganesh on it.  The theater has a statue of Ganesh. Many places have Ganesh displayed.  Thailand began as Hindu country, and later became Buddhist.  Many of the gods of Hinduism are still seen.  Here is a Shiva Lingum.  Brahma and Vishnu are also represented by the eight and four sided shaft.

This is Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu.  Garuda is the national symbol of Thailand, so you see him on banks, and letterheads.  He is also represented on Thai temples on each roof bargeboard as a eagle like shape.

The Spirit House of Pront Palace was originally constructed by Vice Deputy King Boborn Maha Sura Sighanatduring the Bangkok period during the reign of King Rama 1 (1782-1803).  It was constructed at the same time, or shortly after the construction of the Pront Palace in 1782.  It was believed the land on which the Pront Palace was erected had a previous owner and therefore it was necessary to construct the Spirit House as a replacement dwelling for that owner.  The house is situated on a miniature mountain imitating a natural setting inspired by Chinese art.  It was subjected to significant modification during the reign of King Rama 2.  Inside the spirit house is a wood sheet on which is painted a Dheva, a symbol of the spirit and God protector of the front palace.  

Today, the spirit house is considered to be one of the most sacred places of the Fine Arts Department.

Ayutthaya:

I never noticed the sleeping dog in the corner, until just now.  Ayutthaya has hundreds, if not thousands of wild dogs.

Lanna Culture (Chiang Mai/ Chiang Rai)

As mentioned earlier when I was discussing my favorite new artist Krissadank Intasorn, Lanna culture is from the North of Thailand.  I live in the North East where we have Isan, or Lao cultural influences.  Thailand has had many different capitals and kingdoms in its history.  The Lana kingdom influenced the culture around Chiang Mai.  There are some similarities to Isan in the language and the food.  For instance, in Isan and in Chiang Mai, we eat sticky rice (glutinous rice)- Central Thailand eats jasmine rice.  In central Thailand, from my understanding, tattoos are traditionally something that is feared, and not done.  In Lana culture, and also in Isan, tattoos bring strength, power, and protection to the men.  When you look at Opal's artwork, you notice that the thighs of the "mysterious flower" are tattooed.  These leg tattoos are very common in males from the north.  To learn more about Lana culture you can go here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanna or when you are in Bangkok you can go to visit the Kamthieng House off of Asoke road, a short walk from the BTS.  Here you can learn a lot about the culture, by seeing the rituals, house, tools, and textiles from the north of Thailand.  
Example of tattoos from Lanna culture and the tattoo pen below.  The ink traditionally contained cobra venom, and many other tinctures.  The tattoo artists are sometimes monks.  In "Child of the Northeast"  a great book about life in Isan in 1930, a chapter is about some gypsies who come to town to offer tattoos.  They cost 1-3 baht!  That was worth a lot more then.  Men who get the tattoos are well respected by others, especially women.  To learn more about these sacred tattoos, and others click here http://www.absolutethai.com/magic-ink-sacred-tattoos-of-thailand/


I didn't understand these pieces of fabric completely.  They are meant to offer protection similar to the tattoos.  Why though, are there people copulating with animals?  I mean a woman and an elephant?  I don't think so.  I plan on researching the meaning of these more.

Many cultures in Thailand has totem poles in their village.  Here are two.

This is a rice calendar.  It uses the moon and auspicious days to determine when things happen like planting and harvesting.

This is a loi krathong made from bana leaves and flowers.  It looks like the head of Naga to me.  Here is a Naga that was the prow of a boat.

This is the rice goddess.  Every year a ceremonty would be preformed in the fields to ask her for a good harvest.    Below are great alternatives to plastic bags.  I hope to bring some home.

Bangkok Part II or should I say pART 2

Art!!

 There was a show at the Jim Thompson House called Mnemonics.  Jim Thompson is called the King of Thai Silk.  He is a fascinating fellow, with great aesthetics.  He disappeared in 1967, but his house is a museum and features exhibits that deal with the material arts.
= the following paintings were photographed at the Queen Sirikit Museum of Art.  These are national art award winners for this year.

I love the following painting.  The artist has painted his mother, and overlayed images from the stories she told onto her portrait.
 Niroj Jarungituittawat- "Since I was a child, my mother always taught me about moral and goodness through easy, funny tales.  Nowadays, even though she's getting old, all of those stories will never be forgotten."

The following shows two naga.  The naga is something that you see in Thailand everywhere.  On October 19th, I will be going to the Mekong River to see the Naga Fireballs, where the Naga shoots fireballs into the air.  I can't wait!!  To read more about Naga Fireballs, go here....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_fireball
The following painting had this written on the placard: "Once Naga Nanthopananda, who has great power, intended to harm the Buddha and his followers by coiling around Mt. Sumeru up to the Tevatimsa Heaven to obstruct the coming of Lord Buddha.  Then Pha Mokkalla, one of Lord Buddha's disciples, transformed himself into a bigger Naga with a greater power to beat Naga Nanthopananda.  After defeated, Naga Nanthopananda devoted himself to Lord Buddha.
This story implies that nothing is greater than the truth discovered by Lord Buddha which became the guideline for everyone to live in precaution.  His purest truth, the Four Noble Truths, will lead us to happiness and forever peacefulness."- Pishnu Poolsema

I like the way this artwork uses wood, and sewing, with paint and sparkle.

The painting below is so intriguing to me.  It's refracts light so that when you move the colors in the painting change.  It is the wheel of life.  I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the museum.

I love the next painting, because it uses recycled cloth from the artists family.  Most of the textiles are from passin.  A passin is a tube of cloth that Thai ladies, and Jill, wear around the house, or to the shower.