Glass Temple

Terrain

General Condition

Wat Kaew archaeological site Located on a large sandbar, about 3 km long from the north to the south, 500 meters wide, 3 -4 meters above sea level and 1 -2 meters higher than the surrounding area. southeast side It is about 5 kilometers from the present coastline. On this sand dunes are scattered places of worship, namely Wat Wiang, Wat Long and Wat Kaew (Nongkran Srichai, 2000, 169). Wat Long is about 500 meters. The ancient site of Wat Kaew is located in the area of ​​the present Rattanaram Temple.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Khlong Chaiya

Geological conditions

Geological features of Surat Thani It is in the same group as the Eastern Seaboard Plains. with the germination of the land from river sediments The prevailing wind and sea water cause the plains to sink rivers and sand dunes, many of which are new sandbar ridges that were formed during the Holocene about 11,000 years ago (Thailand Archeology Project (Southern) Division, Archeology Division, Fine Arts Department, 1983). ,1-4)

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Wat Kaew archaeological site It is considered an important ancient place in the study of architecture in the Srivijaya period. because it is in perfect condition The architectural style is a castle-shaped chedi. masonry without mortar Scrub the brick surface smooth. The diagram is a cross. Architectural styles are as follows:

The bottom layer of the base:It is a square base. Characteristics of a royal base There are stairs leading up to the east and west. The center of the chopping board is spaced and the masonry is spaced.

Ruen Elemental Building :The base of the Elemental Building has dimensions of 18x18 meters. Between the corners there is an additional gauge. The walls of the building are decorated with wall columns and a groove is cut through the center of the column from the base to the top. (similar to Chandiglason in Java Indonesia and Cham Castle, Misen Art 1 in Vietnam) with 4 porches.

The east porch is the entrance to the central hall, measuring 4x4 meters, enshrining a Buddha image in the subduing Mara posture, bricked against the wall of the building. Damaged condition, only the lap is 4 meters wide. The left and right sides of the wall are pierced into the arch of the Buddha image. The Akshobhaya Buddha image was found in the Charnam arch on the south side.

The southern porch is a booth with columns adorning the masonry door frame. On the side, there is a facade that replicates the scale of the real building. The entrance to the south porch is framed. The lintels and door sills are made of limestone. The height of the door is about 1.6 meters. Inside the booth is a Buddha image in the attitude of subduing Mara. The brick is damaged. The left and right sides of the wall are pierced into a masonry arch enshrining a Buddha image in the subduing Mara posture. It was assumed that the characteristics of the jokes in each aspect would be similar.

north porch Found the red sandstone Buddha image. During the Ayutthaya period, enshrined in the porch instead.

The west porch is decorated with the walls by simulating arches.

The top of the building:all collapsed, assuming that it is a castle-like floor. Above the floor of the relics on the south side, traces of Samkudu appeared. Each layer of the roof should be decorated with a replica of a stupa as several red sandstone replicas were found around the base.

From the layout of the archaeological site, Wat Kaew is similar to Chandikalasan in Central Java, defining the age during the 14th Buddhist century, but the exterior decoration is similar to Prasat Cham, determining the age during the 15th Buddhist century, thus determining the age of the archaeological site. Wat Kaew was in the 14th-15th century.

Important artifacts found at Wat Kaew include Phra Chao Aksobhaya. The subduing Mara is found in the Charanam arch on the south side of the east porch. Made of red sandstone, the base is carved in the shape of a lion on each side. There is a Vajra in the middle. Age around the 15th Buddhist century, Buddha images in the Dvaravati and Ayutthaya periods, sculpture parts holding lotus flowers, suwa ling, architectural parts such as stone door frames, stone door sills, lotus-shaped stupa tops, etc. (Nongkran Sri Male, 2000, 181 – 186)

In addition, an archaeological excavation in 1980 found a brick line on the east side that was assumed to be the remains of a rectangular viharn, measuring 3 meters wide and 7.5 meters long.

from the archaeological evidence found It is assumed that the archaeological site of Wat Kaew was built during the 14th-15th Buddhist centuries, built in the Mahayana Buddhist sect of the Watcharayana sect, and then came to use this religious site again in the Ayutthaya period.

Relevant local legend :

folk tales story about "Father-in-law Padman" said patch the doctor and patch man. Two brothers are Indians. Take a sailing boat to Chaiya town. Landed with his servants at Ban Na Khai at Na Mueang Temple in Lamet Subdistrict Patcho is a master craftsman with knowledge of construction engineering, having his hands and feet cut off when the relics were completed. and could not withstand the venom of the wound, he died The patch had his hands and feet cut off because the city lord did not want Patch Doctor to build another ancient site. When the patch is dead Therefore, it was thought that the statue of Avalokitesvara was cast as a symbol of identity. Parman reigned on the island of Phaman and settled until his death. The place where Paman lived was a non-flooding area, surrounded by rice fields, covering an area of ​​1 rai. In the past, it was very sacred. villagers respect The Manorah group travels through and has to perform an offering dance.

Some legends say that the Indians who came to Chaiya at that time had four brothers, namely Pa Mo, Pa Man, Pawe, and Pahum. When the relics were completed His hands were cut off and his feet were cut off and could not stand the venom of the wound, so he died. Other constructions that Patch had built include:Wat Kaew and Wat Long Wat Kaew has a stabbing pattern and a puzzle that “Wat Kaeo Sri Thammasokrat has been built. Dig and shine four feet Stepping on the mouth of Phaniang Thong, whoever thinks of having to eat will never end up eating.”

The place of residence of the patch It is assumed that this is the area of ​​the big Samrong tree next to Wat Wiang. Area where the court is located It is considered a sacred place until now (Pathum Chumphengphan, 1976,20 -21)