Wiang-kum-kam-wat-thatkhao-partial-from-north-2014-08-17

Wat That Khao ( th, วัดธาตุขาว; "Temple of the White Reliquary") is a ruined temple in the

Wiang Kum Kam Wiang Kum Kam ( th, เวียงกุมกาม; nod, ᩅ᩠ᨿᨦᨠᩩᨾᨠᩣ᩠ᨾ) is an historic settlement and archaeological site along the Ping River, which was built by King Mangrai the Great as his capital before he moved it to C ...

archaeological site, south of

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

in northern

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, thought to have been built in the 16th or 17th century. Its '' chedi'' is presumed to have been formerly lime-plastered, hence the name. The temple faces northeast.

History

Excavation started in 1985. A '' vihara'' was found in front of the ''chedi'', and at its rear an altar and a wall. South of the ''vihara'' a building considered to have perhaps been a rites pavilion was discovered, behind which parts of a lime-coated, brick Buddha image were discovered. Also discovered were 16th century writings in the

Fak Kham script The Fakkham script ( th, อักษรฝักขาม, "''Tamarind pod-script''") or Thai Lanna script is a Brahmic script, used historically in the Lan Na Kingdom. The script was frequently used in Lan Na stone inscriptions. Origin The Fak ...

, and Haripunchai-style Buddha amulets dating to the 15th century that are assumed to have been brought to the site at a later date. Excavation was halted due to a land ownership dispute, and restoration of the structures was completed in 1986.

References

* Oliver Hargreave: ''Exploring Chiang Mai, City, Valley & Mountains''. Within Books, 4th Edition, 2013. That Khao 17th-century establishments in Thailand 17th-century Buddhist temples {{Thailand-struct-stub

History

See also

References