His Majesty's back

Terrain

General Condition

Phra Phutthabat Lang Tao is in the group of Phra Phutthabat Lang Tao. It is located in Ban Muang Phan, Mueang Phan Subdistrict, Ban Phue District, Udon Thani Province, which is a flat area in the southern ridge of Phu Phra Bat. Important ancient sites in this group are:Buddha's back foot Stone shed near King's lagoon 1, stone shed near King's lagoon 2, stone shed near King's lagoon 3 and Tham Keng or Tham Kwang

The back of the turtle is a footprint of a natural Buddha footprint that has been decorated. It is enshrined on a stone courtyard at the southern ridge of Phu Phra Bat. which is a stone courtyard 5.5 meters wide and 23 meters long (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :191)

Phu Phan or Phu Phan Kham is a sandstone mountain range that lies in the north-south direction. in the west of Udon Thani Province and Sakon Nakhon Basin

The general condition of Phu Phra Bat is sparse forest. There are natural vegetation types such as hardwood trees, maka wood, red wood, Ching Chang wood, Pradu wood, and deciduous dipterocarp trees. On Phu Phra Bat, there are many open stone terraces, rocks and sandstone sheds scattered around. caused by the action of water and wind on the sandstone.

Because there are quite a lot of hardwood covered. Together with many other natural plants, Phu Phra Bat is classified in the National Reserved Forest Area, “Pah Khuean Nam”, and is the source of many streams such as Huai Hin Lat, Huai Dan Yai, Huai Hin Rong, Huai Nang Usa and Huai Khok Khat. which flows into the east, confluence with the Mekong River at Tha Bo District Nong Khai Province

The plains surrounding the mountains are mainly cultivated for rice and cassava. The eastern valley of Phu Phra Bat is the largest valley characterized by undulating plains. Most of the area is cultivated for rice and cassava. This valley is commonly known as Lup Phan.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Huai Hin Lat, Huai Dan Yai, Huai Hin Rong, Huai Nang Usa, Huai Khok Khad, Huai Mong, Mekong River

Geological conditions

Phu Phra Bat is a sandstone hill. in the Phu Phan Noi mountain range at the edge of the western plateau of Udon Thani Sandstone is white, orange, pebbled, grit consists of quartz, chert, red talc. some igneous rocks with traces There are shale and gravel interspersed. It is in the Phu Phan rock unit, Korat series, in the lower - mid-Cretaceous period, or about 90-140 million years ago. The sandstone in the area has outstanding geological features. Because there are different properties in each floor. and has undergone geological erosion by water and wind. Makes the appearance of the landscape that is strange in many areas, such as Hor Nang Usa, Tham Chang, Father Ta's coffin, Thao Baros coffin, Nang Usa coffin, Pho Ta temple, Phra Ku Nang Usa cave, Nang Usa pond. Quail Stone Shed as well as the geological, physical and geological features found in the sandstone. which is a clear stratum or sedimentary rock For example, showing interleaving layers with gravel layers. An oblique-level display showing a change in water flow direction. (Department of Mineral Resources 2009 :38-39)

various shapes formed from sandstone and gravel sand have different texture The highly durable rock layers protrude into rock sheds. or a layer of rock overlaid on top The less durable rock layers will erode. or being eroded or is a concave part under the hard rock Become a rock shed or a rocky cliff such as Hor Nang Usa, etc.

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Mythological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Lang Tao's footprint is a footprint of the Buddha that is enshrined on a stone courtyard on the southern ridge of Phu Phra Bat. It is a stone courtyard 5.5 meters wide and 23 meters long. It came from a large stone nearby. That looks like a curved top and has a pattern like a humpback. The villagers therefore called the Buddha's feet nearby that "Phra Phutthabat Lang Tao" (184)

Buddha's back foot It looks like a stone basin shaped like a foot. Turn your toes to the southwest. It is around the oval-shaped Buddha image made of cement. In the middle of His Majesty the King was carved into a figure of a lotus blooming with overlapping pointed petals embossed. Surrounding the Buddha's footprint is 0.71 meters wide, 1.68 meters long and is surrounded by laterite. But now the laterite has been restored and taken away. And the footprint of the Buddha was very damaged, that is, only cement was left in the area of ​​His Majesty (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :185).

In addition, the stone yard in front and on the large stone beside the Buddha's foot after the turtle are extracted into holes arranged in a line 15 meters long and 12 meters wide (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :186)

When considering the characteristics of the Phra Phutthabat's back plan Found that this Phra Phutthabat Lang Tao consists of a large building built around the Buddha's footprint. There is a building that can be divided into 2 floors (Pitachai Chatuchai 2010 :186) namely

The 1st floor is a small room that covers the Buddha's footsteps, similar to the Lao culture amulet. (Lan Chang)

The second floor is characterized by a large hall that covers both the Buddha's footprint and the surrounding stone courtyard. which would be an open-air building with a wooden structure This is to be like a pavilion or a large building that can accommodate a large number of people who come to perform rituals or pay homage to the Buddha's footprint. And there is also a connection with another building which is assumed to be a cubicle or residence on the northwest side of the Buddha's footprint.

Both Phra Phutthabat Lang Tao and Phra Phutthabat Bua Ban should have very different styles. from the appearance of the Buddha's footprint behind the turtle together with the wares found in the excavation, presumed to be in the Lan Xang period Around the 22nd-23rd Buddhist century (Archaeological Division 1992:21) and the Rattanakosin period After the 24th Buddhist century

Relevant local legend

Buddha's back foot Appears in the legend of the gods along the world, meaning that when Lord Buddha came out to please the world and came to reside at Doi Tadanghee in Luang Prabang Province The Buddha came to this Phu Phra Bat. Which is the residence of the serpents who have a bullying nature, namely Naga Kutthopana and Milinthanaga, the Buddha defeated them until they surrendered. and have a mind of faith in Buddhism Milinthanaka asked for the Buddha's footprint to worship. The Buddha therefore gave the right foot print turning the end of the foot to the Udon direction. and then proceeded to Krungsri Sattanakanhut His footprints have appeared since then.