Khao Klang in

Terrain

General condition

The ancient treasury is located in the middle of the city in the city of Si Thep. There is a gravel road connecting to Prang Song Phi Nong on the north side. This ancient site has been excavated and restored to good condition. There is a roof covered with decorative stucco at the base of the ancient site. The north base was damaged by smuggling, causing the stucco decorating the base to be broken down.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Pa Sak River, about 5 kilometers to the west, and the Hieng River. It is a tributary of the Pa Sak River. It is about 8 kilometers south of Si Thep city.

Geological conditions

Khao Klang Nai archaeological site Located in the inner city of the ancient city of Si Thep. which is in the central highlands In general, there are complex mountain ranges. Positioned in a long line from north to south. starting from Loei, Phetchabun, Saraburi and the south of Nakhon Ratchasima There are continuous undulating hills alternating with high mountains. Important mountain ranges are Phetchabun Mountains in the east

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Khao Klang Nai Archaeological Site is a large archaeological site located in the inner city of the city of Si Thep. It is a religious place in Buddhism. And since the city was first built in the 12th Buddhist century, the excavation results showed that in the early stages this ancient site was probably built in Theravada Buddhism according to the early Dvaravati culture. Later, around the 14th Buddhist century, it was changed to Mahayana Buddhism. Because many Bodhisattva sculptures were found and traces of repairs were found during the same period, along with the stucco decorations at the base of the building that are still left to be seen on the west and south sides.

Khao Klang Nai must have played an important role as an important ancient site of Si Thep from the beginning of the city until the 18th Buddhist century. Thus, a Buddha image with the influence of Baphuon-Angkor Wat Khmer art was also found.

The origin of the name Khao Klang Nai is the name that the villagers call. It came from the condition of the area that used to have mounds and trees covering the ancient monument until it had a mountain-like appearance. which is in the city Therefore, it is called different from the other place, Khao Klang Nok (Department of Fine Arts, 2007, 95).

Khao Klang Nai archaeological site consists of president architecture At present, only the base is left with a rectangular plan, size 28 x 44 meters, about 12 meters high, made of laterite as the main material. facing east In front of which there is a staircase leading up to the upper courtyard. At present, traces of plaster remain on the eastern floor. On the west side there is a square base trace. Therefore, it is assumed that the upper part of this section used to have a stupa, a Mondop, or a viharn where idols were enshrined. and on the east side is a wide area where rituals are held At the right edge of the courtyard are traces of a brick base.

An important part that indicates the age and the cultural style of this president's architecture is The base made of laterite which consists of a cutting base and a pad base The base of the pad consists of the base of the lotus flower, the lotus flower, the lotus flower, and the lotus flower, and the lotus is cascading upwards. This kind of base is consistent with the historic site number 18 (Wat Klong Suwan Khiri), the ancient city of Khu Bua. Ratchaburi Province (Suriyawut Suksawat, MR., 1989, 42; Fine Arts Department, 2007, 84), which these bases are decorated with stucco as ornament patterns. The pattern on the bottom layer is a row of Kan Khot patterns that were popular in the Dvaravati period. Next up is the wood that has a square hole. There are rows of dwarfs and ornamental animals. Next up is the front of the board decorated with Kan Khod patterns. Next is a small square frame pattern. The upper part had collapsed, leaving no trace. The stucco patterns found at Khao Klang Nai may be classified into groups as follows:(1) Portraits such as the head of a Buddha image Dvaravati art form Image of a dwarf carrying a dwarf figure attached to the base of an ancient site. (2) The image of animals such as lions, elephants and zebras, both groups found at Khao Klang Nai, are similar to other archaeological sites in the Dvaravati period, such as Muang Khu Bua, Ratchaburi Province. Chula Prathon Chedi, Phra Men Temple, Nakhon Pathom Province The archaeological site at Ban Khok Mai Den Nakhon Sawan Province and the ancient site of Wat Nakhon Kosa Lopburi Province (3) pictures of flora mostly defective As far as the studies have shown, there are round flowers surrounded by curled leaves. Flanked by two overlapping ovals, interspersed with two overlapping squares, interspersed with two overlapping squares. with a rosary pattern on both sides This pattern is a very popular pattern in Dvaravati art, such as the Dharma Chakra found in Nakhon Pathom. and the city of U-Thong Suphan Buri Province, at Tham Fa Tho, Ratchaburi Province There is also a rhombus pattern. It is related to those found in other Dvaravati archaeological sites as well (Suriyawut Suksawat, MR., 1989, 42-46).

In addition to the president's architecture Khao Klang Nai archaeological site also includes a viharn, a chedi, a building for ceremonies. all of which were surrounded by laterite walls. As for the materials used in the construction at Khao Klang Nai archaeological site, such as laterite, there are various sizes according to the building's characteristics. Bricks are often found as traces that they are used as parts of the upper buildings, brick pavers, walkways. The mortar is found to be used to plaster the exterior of laterite bases and to make decorative stucco patterns.

From the fact that Khao Klang Nai ancient monument is located almost in the middle of the inner city, which is an ancient city with an almost circular plan. according to the general characteristics of the ancient city of Dvaravati In addition, the layout of the main architecture that is rectangular in shape is different from the Khmer-influenced architecture such as the Si Thep Prang and the Song Phi Nong Prang. Therefore, it is assumed that the ancient site of Khao Klang Nai was probably initially built in the Dvaravati period. with a pattern comparable to the ancient monument No. 18 (Wat Klong Suwan Khiri), Khu Bua City, Ratchaburi Province (Ornuch Saeng Jaruk, 1984, 8; Pongthan et al., 1992) and has continued to be used throughout the city of Si Thep thriving.

For antiquities found at Khao Klang Nai archaeological site, such as the head of a stucco Buddha image. Bronze Buddha statue sitting in meditation posture and stood in the posture of preaching the Dharma with both hands Dvaravati art form Age around the 12th-16th Buddhist century Ariya Bodhisattva, bronze and silver, determine the age in the 14th Buddhist century