Phra Suea Muang Shrine

Terrain

General Condition

Phra Suea Mueang Shrine or Ta Pha Daeng Shrine is an abandoned ancient site located within a ditch in the old city of Sukhothai. in the central area to the north Inside Sukhothai Historical Park It is in the north of Wat Sa Si and Traphang Trakuan. To the west of Wat Traphang Sor and Wat Sorasak 350 meters from the inner moat in the area of ​​the Grand Palace to the south.

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. There are frequent 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

Mae Lamphun Canal, Sao Ho Canal, 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

Phra Suea Mueang Shrine or Ta Pha Daeng Shrine It is an archaeological site located in the old city of Sukhothai. in the central area to the north near the northern city gate It is in the north of Wat Sa Si and Traphang Trakuan. To the west of Wat Traphang Sor and Wat Sorasak 350 meters from the inner moat in the area of ​​the Grand Palace to the south.

Appeared on the map during the reign of King Rama V, called Thepharak Yai Shrine and Ta Pha Daeng Shrine (Special Chia Chanphong 2003 :18)

It is a laterite building. It is a Khmer-style castle made of large laterite, commonly used in construction in Khmer culture. The top has already collapsed. Only the part of the room that used to be enshrined with idols and the entrance to the porch was left. facing east

The lower part of the building starts from the supporting chopping board floor. Lotus Luk Muak base North from the base is Elemental House Square shape increases the corner of Ta Pha Daeng Shrine. towards the porch to the east with a staircase leading up in front of the porch which is a model of the Khmer castle as well As such, Sukhothai technicians will choose to renovate their chedi in their new shape. It was built in Hinduism. or Mahayana Buddhism (Santi Lek Sukhum 2012 :36) is upper which has completely collapsed It is believed that the upper part of the castle is a bar. It has overlapping floors, just like a typical Khmer castle (Santi Lek Sukhum 2551a :47)

Prof. Dr. Sakchai Saising (2004 :13-14) studied that the castle style reflects the identity of the Cambodian castle in the Bayon period. The most prominent thing is that the bottom base is made of only one pedestal lotus with a large casket full of trees. Previously, Bayon art did not know this type of lotus base. And this style gave influence to the prang-shaped chedi in the early Ayutthaya period. but prefer to add more layers. The second is to increase the corner of the main corner to be larger than the composite corner and the third is to build a large laterite which is popular in the Bayon Khmer culture found in Thailand. in general while laterite used in architecture in the Sukhothai period is approximately half the width.

The Fine Arts Department excavated and renovated this archaeological site found 6 sculptures of deities and goddesses made of sandstone, damaged, with broken heads and hands. but can also study the cross-shaped ornaments and the robes that draw long men to the sides Currently, some of the sculptures are on display at the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum. Sukhothai

Prof. Dr. Sakchai Saising (2004 :14) stated that according to the original opinion of Prof. Jean Boiseriere, these sculptures were arranged in the late Angkor Wat style of Khmer art towards Bayon. Around the end of the 17th Buddhist century to the beginning of the 18th Buddhist century (Jean Boisselier 1974:127; Suphatradit Diskul 1999 :29) However, Prof. Jean Bousserie asked Prof. Dr. Santi Leksukhum to help verify information about similar sculptures on display in the National Museum of Thailand. Phnom Penh National Prof. Jean Boiseriere suggested a new idea that the sculpture found at the Red Cliffs Shrine was probably also in the Bayon period. (mid 18th Buddhist century)

Dr. Praphat Chuwichian (2012) said that this ancient site probably used to have a name before it was known, such as Phra Maha Samana Chao. Somdej Krom Phraya Pawaret Wariyalongkorn called Kok Prasat which the villagers of the old city at that time believed in the holiness And in old documents that record the reign of King Rama 5-6, it is often referred to as The Red Eye Shrine Some Phra Pradaeng Shrine some until it became Ta Pha Daeng Shrine Currently

This word is probably a word that comes from the name Kamorteng . which means “Chao” in Khmer language and is found in many ancient Khmer inscriptions mentioned. Komteng as the founding name of a Hindu idol There is also the word Pradaeng, which refers to some government officials in the Ayutthaya period, which is also derived from the Khmer word. And the name is also found in the names of some ancient cities that used to have traces of Khmer culture, such as Phra Pradaeng. at Samut Prakan which in the Ayutthaya period used to excavate an idol when the Samrong Canal was cleaned, etc. (Praphat Chuwichian 2012)

Therefore, Dr. Praphat Chuwichian (2012) assumed that the name of Ta Pha Daeng Shrine means that it is a sacred place of worship. related to the Brahmin-Hindu beliefs of the Khmer As with Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul (1999:19), while Prof. Dr. Santi Lek Sukhum (2012:36) said that Ta Pha Daeng shrine was probably built in Hinduism. or Mahayana Buddhism

Therefore, Phra Suea Muang Shrine or Ta Pha Daeng Shrine is used as one evidence of the influence of Khmer culture in the Yom River basin. Previously established Sukhothai as the capital.