Wat Chang Kham

Terrain

General condition

Wat Chang Kham is an abandoned archaeological site that has been excavated. restoration and improve the landscape It is located in the western city of Chiang Saen, near Thap Man Gate. Adjacent to Asoke Temple on the north side and behind the people's houses therefore not visible from the road. (But there is an entrance sign at the roadside.) Entering the archaeological site requires walking through a privately owned, abandoned area with walls and gates.

Formerly, Wat Chang Kham was a low rectangular mound of ancient monuments. After archaeological excavations, 1 pagoda base was found.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Mekong River

Geological conditions

Chiang Saen is located on the west bank of the Mekong River. in the Chiang Saen Plain, which is a large plain formed by the deposition of sediments especially sand gravel In the Quaternary Era

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Wat Chang Kham is an archaeological site of the ancient city of Chiang Saen. Important ancient sites within the temple include a chedi surrounded by elephant sculptures. Wat Chang Kham or Wat Chang Phuak or Elephant Cave

Formerly, Wat Chang Kham was a low rectangular mound of ancient monuments. After archaeological excavations found a base of a chedi, the shape of the base is square. There is an overlapping construction. The inner body is made up of a 3-tiered lotus-backed lotus base, each tier is decorated with a wooden base with lotus wires and a total of 4 small lotus-backed lotus flowers. Thus, it is known that the inner chedi should be spherical in Lanna style. The outer body is a circular chedi as well. But the base decorated with elephants surrounded (Front half) on all sides, 3 ropes on each side (most of them are now broken. Only traces are left on both front feet, except for the east side, where the most visible elephant sculptures are left.) There is a stairway leading to the pagoda. Then raise the stairway to the pagoda around the chedi. On both sides of the walkway there is a square brick base. And in this area found a large lion's head fragment. It is assumed that it may be the base supporting the railing that decorates the lion. There is also a glass wall and an arch (Mekong arch) on the east side.

On the west side of the chedi is a rectangular brick base. It has a length that lies along the north-south axis. Above the building found brick pavement and columns. along with the stairs leading up to the south side of the building It is assumed that it is a hall-type building or a pagoda facade. in the east area away from the chedi Found a continuous brick wall into the area of ​​Asoke Temple on the south side.

Parts of pottery, especially made from Lanna kilns found in Wiang Kalong kilns. (The 20th Buddhist century to the beginning of the 22nd Buddhist century), the Tao Phan source (late 20th - 21st Buddhist century) and the San Kamphaeng stove. (late 19th Buddhist century to mid 23rd Buddhist century)

Also found sandstone Buddha images. Phayao City Technician Although the head with a face was not found But the overall age can be determined during the 20th-22nd Buddhist century and inscriptions are also found on bricks and bells. It is a Tham Lanna script that is commonly used in the 20th-21st Buddhist century.

Therefore, Wat Chang Kham should have been built around the 19th Buddhist century since the beginning of the Lanna style round chedi. The Chang Kham chedi should be added in the late 20th Buddhist century to the early 21st Buddhist century and continued to be used until Chiang Saen was lost to the Burmese army in the early 22nd Buddhist century or after. Because evidence of Burmese art influences was found at this temple, such as a lion that is a gatekeeper around the stairs (Neither found in Lanna, Sukhothai or Ayutthaya, but found in later Burmese art) or stucco patterns that experts study found to date after the 21st Buddhist century.