Asokaram Temple

Terrain

General Condition

The archaeological site of Wat Asokaram is located in the south outside of Sukhothai. (On the south side, in line with the corner of the southeastern moat wall) about 650 meters from the south moat, away from Namo Gate. Which is the southern gate of Sukhothai, to the south-east about 900 meters, 100 meters from Wat Phong Men to the south, 450 meters from Wat Mumlangka to the south, and away from Wat Wihan Thong to the west. Above about 450 meters

Sukhothai is located on the plains of the river (Terrace) in the eastern foothills of the Pratak Mountains. The sediment deposited thus consists of soil, gravel, sand that is carried by the water from the mountains.

From the foothills, the area has a slope to the east to the Yom River, which is approximately 11 kilometers east of the ancient city. Klong Sao Ho which is a straight stream on the south side and Mae Lamphan Canal on the north and east side of the city and flows into the Yom River at the present Sukhothai Province.

The area between the ancient city of Sukhothai and the Yom River is a marsh. often have regular floods and some places have been trapped in water for months. Therefore, it may be one of the reasons why Sukhothai Old City is not located on the riverbank plain.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Khlong Sao Hor, Khlong Yang, Yom River

Geological conditions

Sukhothai is located on the plains of the river (Terrace) in the eastern foothills of the Pratak Mountains. which is a sedimentary mountain range in the Permian and Triassic periods consisted of many horns The sediment deposited thus consists of soil, gravel, sand that has been carried by water from the mountains. The soil is the Mae Taeng soil series (Mae Taeng series:Mt).

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

The archaeological site of Wat Asokaram is located in the south outside of Sukhothai. (On the south side, in line with the corner of the southeastern moat wall) about 650 meters from the south moat, away from Namo Gate. Which is the southern gate of Sukhothai, to the south-east about 900 meters, 100 meters from Wat Phong Men to the south, 450 meters from Wat Mumlangka to the south, and away from Wat Wihan Thong to the west. Above about 450 meters

The villagers originally called Wat Asokaram or Wat Asokaram as Wat Saladdai. The Fine Arts Department found an inscription at this temple in 1955. It is a parapet-shaped inscription with 98 lines of inscription on both sides, 47 lines on the first side. The second has 51 lines, inscribed with Sukhothai and Khmer characters. Thai and Pali appeared in the inscription 1942 (Prasarn Boonprakong et al. 1983; Watcharaporn Angkourachatchai and colleagues 2003)

The content of the inscription on the first side mentions Somdej Phra Ratchathep Si Chulalak, Empress Dowager, Somdej Phra Mahathammarachathirat. (Phra Maha Thammaracha II) His Majesty enshrined a stupa in Wat Asokaram.

The inscription on the second side mentions the poet Sridhamma Trilok. was educated in the Pali language Talks about making merit at Asokaram Temple and the desire to be a man The perfect personage with the image, rank and age of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulalak

The importance of the inscription is to know that Her Royal Highness Princess Chulalak His Majesty the Queen of Phrom Maha Thammaracha II or Phaya Lue Thai He established the monastery of Wat Asokaram at the same time as Wat Thaksinaram. He built a stupa containing Phra Mahathat which is called Maha Chedi. It took up to 4 months to build a viharn, a mondop, a pagoda, and awaken the Sri Maha Bodhi tree. In addition, it also appoints a guardian of the temple. Consecrated land or Kalpana, the slaves of the temple (Prasarn Boonprakong et al.

From the above data shows that the construction of this temple to build a temple and the great stupa that he established lotus bud shaped pagoda which is the main chedi that appears today because there is only one large main chedi Outside is a small chedi. Some of them may be created at the same time. Another part will probably be built later (Sakchai Saising 2004 :60)

Prof. Dr. Sakchai Saising (2004 :60) stated that the layout of the temple consists of a chedi topped with a lotus bud as the president of the temple. in front of the temple Behind the main chedi there is a small mondop. All of these should have been created at the same time. Because there is a main axis of symmetry that appears in the inscriptions that mention the great stupa, viharn, mondop and pagoda. There are also several chedi on the south side. probably built in later because the schematic is not symmetrical The boundary of the temple is surrounded by a long rectangular moat. The length is twice the width (50x90 m), which is a characteristic of this period.

The form of the lotus bud chedi consists of the typical lotus bud shaped chedi, that is, the base consists of a set of four high chopping boards supporting the pedestal lotus base. (Decorated with two lines of glass beads, chicken breasts) The central part consists of two sets of lotus-beam bases called the Wanfah layer that support the elemental house. not extinguishing the arch The top, which was a lotus bud, was broken and fell. But there was evidence that it fell to the ground. which has the same order as the top of the lotus bud in general (Sakchai Saising 2004 :60-61)

Construction of a temple outside Sukhothai in the south Shows the expansion of the city and community out of this side. In addition, the inscription data also shows that The Lotus Bud Pagoda is an important form of pagoda built by the lord as it appears in the major temples. large in Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai And this style of pagoda probably existed before the 20th Buddhist century (Sakchai Saising 2004 :61).