Phra That Doi Phu Khao (Crab in)

Terrain

mountain

General Condition

Archaeological site inside Wat Phra That Pu Khao It is an abandoned ancient site that has been restored and renovated. Improve the landscape for use as a Buddhist place today. Located on the top of Doi Phu Kham or Doi Chiang Miang, along the Mekong River, in the area of Sop Ruak or the Golden Triangle. This is the area where the Ruak River meets with the Mekong River.

Height above mean sea level

405 meters

Waterway

Mekong River

Geological conditions

It is a mountain of igneous rocks.

Archaeological Era

prehistoric age, historical period

era/culture

Lanna period, stone age

Archaeological age

Stone Age, around the 19th-21st Buddhist century (determined the age from San Kamphaeng wares Chedi No. 4 and Principal Chedi)

Types of archaeological sites

religious place

archaeological essence

Doi Pu Kham or Doi Phu Kham or Doi Chiang Miang Archaeological evidence appears since the prehistoric stone age. Past archaeologists' surveys have found two-faced stone-chiver tools, oval-shaped stone-crackers, terrazzo axes, terracotta beads, shards of clay pottery, scribbles, stamps, and ropes.

As for Phra That Pu Khao or Phra That Phu Khao Located on Doi Phu Khao or Doi Chiang Miang near Sop Ruak. golden triangle The Ionian Chronicles said It is a place where the sons of Laos from the Mangrai family came out to catch crabs.

Chronicle Part 61 shows the story of building a stupa on Doi Phu Kham. By saying that Phraya Lao Kaew visited (Phaya Kao Klao visited), the second king of the city of Hiran Nakhon Ngoen Yang. the youngest son of the King built after he ascended the throne And according to legends, there is also a story that dates back to the Buddha's time. The Lord Buddha had come to perform food activities. and enshrines the hair relics including having a prophecy to the name of the future place Later, when Phaya Saen Phu built the city of Chiang Saen He came up along the river of (Khong) and stopped to pay homage to Mahathat Chao Doi Phu Khao (Doi Pu Mao) before entering Chiang Saen city.

The word “Poo” is probably distorted from the word “Phu” which means mountain and the word “Mai” meaning “rice” because Chiang Saen has the largest plains among the plains along the Mekong River in the past. Which is a suitable area for rice cultivation, the Chiang Saen plain is the source of a large amount of rice production.

The name Phra That Pu Khao (Phu Khao) is probably more commonly referred to by people living in the northern Mekong or by foreign traders than the Chiang Saen people themselves would call it. Because when merchants come to sell their products in Chiang Saen, they have to pass through Sop Ruak area. and will notice that Phra That Crab is majestic on a high mountain Phra That Crab in is a symbol of his journey that he has reached the Chiang Saen plains, the land of rice.

In addition, the mountain is called "Phu" instead of "Doi" in the local Lanna language. It would mean that the name of this mountain is probably the name that people traveling from other places called.

As for the wall that stretches at the foot of the mountain, it represents the resting community of travelers who exchange their local products for the produce of the Chiang Saen people.

Important artifacts obtained from the excavation of Wat Phra That Pu Khao in 1963 include cracking stone tools. Bronze replicas of the bell-shaped stupa, stone earrings, chin-printed Buddha images in the subduing Mara posture, etc.

As for the earthenware found in the 2002 excavation, there are both earthenware. from San Kamphaeng kilns, Phan kilns, Lampang kilns, Lamphun kilns, and Chinese wares were also found. which determines the age around the 19th-21st Buddhist century.

From the past excavations and excavations, it was found that Wat Phra That Phu Kham has been renovated in 4 periods.

In the first period, there was brickwork as a retaining wall surrounding the ancient monuments.

The second period, there was a change in the form of the base of the main chedi. As for the cutting board base, the lotus flower set is a square base.

The third period was expanded on the side of the temple.

In the 4th period, there was a change in the masonry layout of the temple. There is an entrance door. on the north, south and west The area has been adjusted to be higher

Summarizing the results of the past studies, it is assumed that the Phu Khao area has been used by humans since the Stone Age. prehistoric Until entering the historical period, found the earliest evidence around the 19th-20th Buddhist century (determining the age of Sankampang wares Pagoda No. 4 and Principal Chedi) before further construction during the 21st Buddhist century (Pagoda No. 2)

Around the top of the mountain, which is the location of the ancient monuments on all 4 sides, there is a brick wall around the earth. There were entrance arches on the north, east and south, traces of the ascending steps were found on the west and east sides of the retaining wall. Ancient sites within the earthen walls aligned along the east-west axis. in a rectangular chart Important archaeological sites include viharn, main chedi, four chedi, a wall, a Khong arch, and a retaining wall.

1. Vihara is on the east side of the chedi. The diagram is rectangular. Facing the east is the hall hall, currently being built on wood covering the building. There is a Mondop at the end of the Viharn or a splendid brick gandha. with connecting points The front of the mandop looks like a castle in the shape of a castle that consists of a stacked roof. Consisting of a sloping roof alternating with the elemental housing stacked in alternating layers The motto of building a Ku inside the building to house a Buddha image is like sitting in a castle. The appearance of the front of the mandop with a double-layered roof is similar to this. It is the popularity of Lanna art during the 21st century.

The roof of the temple is decorated with stucco patterns. The roof tiles and the wooden structure of the roof were damaged in some parts. From the excavation of the temple in the past, it has been restored 4 times.

2. The main chedi is located behind or on the west side of the viharn. It is a small chedi in the shape of a castle top surrounded by elephants. The state of collapse left only the base layer stacked in two tiers in a rectangular frame. The four corners of the second floor chopping board are decorated with half stucco elephants. Support base pad Next is the part of the board. Above is part of the elemental house in the square plan. Found traces of making arches in the east, north, and south. From excavating the chedi, traces of the restoration of the base of the chedi were found. is the bottom of the chopping board base from the facing lotus set is a square chopping board base by brick covering over the lotus facing set Around the base of the pagoda, fragments of an elephant's head and a stucco elephant's leg were found. From the style of the main chedi which is a Lanna-style castle-top chedi surrounded by elephants, it is assumed that it was built around the 21st Buddhist century.

3. Chedi No. 1 is located to the northwest of the Viharn. It looks like a chedi in the shape of a castle top. (Top is a bell-shaped pagoda) from excavation excavated decorated with gold leaf Jango and found the preparation of the pagoda foundation by using gravel and compacted soil alternatingly. Then the brick base of the chedi was arranged in a square plan, raised to a base of 1 chicken breast bead lotus. In the middle of the relic on each side, there was a chakra altar for enshrining a Buddha image. The base of the Buddha image is found on all four sides. The most complete house of elements is on the east side. Found the lap of the Buddha image crossed in meditation. Away from the pagoda on the east side, a rectangular brick line is found.

4. Chedi No. 2 is located to the north of the Viharn. The position is a chedi with a layout that is not symmetrical with other pagodas. (Showing that it may be built with or behind the main chedi) looks like a castle-shaped chedi or may be Ku-style. (Very popular in the 21st century). The chedi is located on a square chopping block base. 4 tiers cascading down each other, followed by a lotus base, glass beads, chicken breast, which is the base of a castle-shaped chedi with 5 peaks to support the relics, which can still be seen on the north side. You can still see traces of the crocodile facade.

5. Pagoda No. 3 is located to the south of the viharn. Past studies have found that foundations are prepared by using alternating gravel and compacted soil. and then lay the bricks on the base of the pagoda Only a square base was left. Stacked in 3 tiers.

6. Chedi No. 4 is located in the southwest corner of the Viharn. It is a castle-shaped chedi. Found that the foundation was prepared by using river gravel and compacted soil alternatingly. and then lay the bricks on the base of the pagoda The base style consists of a cutting base to support a lotus base in a square plan for supporting the relic house. Each side has 4 directions, the east and west sides are pierced into booths through each other. The north and south sides are made of pseudo-arches. From old photographs, it was found that a single-layer chrysanthemum was made. It is an arched frame that resembles a lady's face. The end of the arch frame is spun and rolled into a lonely body. Next up is the lotus base in the square chart, raised to support the missing top.

7. Glass wall and Mekong facade The rectangular shape surrounds a group of ancient sites on the temple hill. There are 3 entrances to the archaeological site in the middle of the north, south, and west wall. There are also traces of the entrance door and the stairs leading to the retaining wall, 1 on each side. In addition, construction overlapped the glass wall on the west side. East

8. Retaining walls built around the ancient hill. except for the northwest Found stairways leading up to the west and south of the retaining wall.