Wiang Kum Kam ( th, เวียงกุมกาม; nod, ᩅ᩠ᨿᨦᨠᩩᨾᨠᩣ᩠ᨾ) is an historic settlement and archaeological site along the
Ping River
The Ping River ( th, แม่น้ำปิง, , ), along with the Nan River, is one of the two main tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Thuai in the Daen Lao Range, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province. After pas ...
, which was built by King
Mangrai the Great Mangrai ( nod, ; th, มังราย; 1238–1311), also known as Mengrai ( th, เม็งราย),The name according to historical sources is "Mangrai", and this is used in most modern scholarly applications. "Mengrai", popularised by a 19 ...
as his capital before he moved it to
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 ...
. It was flooded and abandoned more than 700 years ago; that move became more understandable in 2005, when the ancient city was flooded three separate times as the river overflowed its banks in that area 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 ...
.
History
Wiang Kum Kam is an ancient city ( th, เวียง ''wiang'' "walled city") located in
Saraphi District in the northern region of
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 ...
, around south of the southeastern corner 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 ...
's city centre. According to the
chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
s and
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
evidence, the old city was built by King Mangrai around the latter part of the 13th century.
The city was established as a new capital by the King after his victory over the
Mon people
The Mon ( mnw, ဂကူမည်; my, မွန်လူမျိုး, ; th, มอญ, ) are an ethnic group who inhabit Lower Myanmar's Mon State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Tanintharyi Region, Bago Region, the Irrawaddy Delta, and s ...
's kingdom of
Hariphunchai, modern
Lamphun
Lamphun ( th, ลำพูน, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Lamphun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Nai Mueang of Mueang Lamphun district. As of 2006 it has a population of 14,030. Lamphun lies north ...
. Due to repeated flooding, a new capital, Chiang Mai, was built a few years later. Wiang Kum Kam flourished during the reign of the Mangrai dynasty until the late 16th century.
The old city was then lost from history for many years after Chiang Mai was conquered by the Burmese in 1558. There is a presumption that it was seriously flooded again at this time and was finally abandoned. The people were moved back to this area again more than 200 years later with a new community, and it was then named Chang Kham village ().
In 1984, the Department of Fine Arts Unit 4 discovered remnants of the old city around
Wihan Kan Thom () at Wat Chang Kham () and afterwards excavation was begun; since then many new remains have been found and restoration has proceeded since that time.
The main temple of the town is
Wat Chedi Liam
Wat Chedi Liam ( th, วัดเจดีย์เหลี่ยม; "Temple of the Squared Pagoda"), formerly known as Wat Ku Kham ( th, วัดกู่คำ; "Temple of the Golden Stupa"), is one of the wats in the ancient Thai city of Wia ...
(originally Wat Ku Kham), which is still occupied by monks.
List of sites
Note that this list is definitely incomplete.
Wat Chang Kham
Wat Chang Kham ( th, วัดช้างค้ำ; "Elephant-Propped Temple") is within the grounds of a working modern temple. It is adjacent to the
Wat That Noi site. The name is derived from elephant figures supporting one of the structures.
Wat Chedi Liam / Wat Ku Kham
Wat Chedi Liam
Wat Chedi Liam ( th, วัดเจดีย์เหลี่ยม; "Temple of the Squared Pagoda"), formerly known as Wat Ku Kham ( th, วัดกู่คำ; "Temple of the Golden Stupa"), is one of the wats in the ancient Thai city of Wia ...
( th, วัดเจดีย์เหลี่ยม; "Temple of the Squared Pagoda"), formerly known as Wat Ku Kham ( en, วัดกู่คำ; "Temple of the Golden Stupa"), is named after its ancient five-level ''
chedi'' (or Buddhist pagoda) of
Mon style, which was copied from a similar structure at
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai ( th, วัดพระธาตุหริภุญชัย) is a Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Lamphun, Thailand. The temple's origins date from the 11th century but the central stupa is thought to originate in the ...
in
Haripunchai (modern
Lamphun
Lamphun ( th, ลำพูน, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Lamphun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Nai Mueang of Mueang Lamphun district. As of 2006 it has a population of 14,030. Lamphun lies north ...
). It is apparently the only ancient temple in the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological area that remains a working temple with resident monks. In keeping with its Mon roots,
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
, the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
creator, is venerated at the temple in addition to Buddhism.
Wat I Khang
Wat I Khang
Wat I Khang ( th, วัดอีค่าง, ; ) is a ruined 16th or 17th century temple in the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological complex near modern Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
It is named after the former prevalence of wild old world monkey ...
( th, วัดอีค่าง; "Langurs' Temple") is a ruined 16th or 17th century temple named after the former prevalence of wild
old world monkeys
Old World monkey is the common English name for a family of primates known taxonomically as the Cercopithecidae (). Twenty-four genera and 138 species are recognized, making it the largest primate family. Old World monkey genera include baboons ...
at the site prior to its excavation and restoration, which are known as ''khang'' in Thai. It has a large, mostly intact ''chedi''.
Wat Nan Chang
Wat Nan Chang
Wat Nan Chang ( th, วัดหนานช้าง; "Nan Chang's Temple") is a ruined 16th or 17th century temple in the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological complex near modern Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
Excavated from 2002 to 2003, the temple ...
( th, วัดหนานช้าง; "Nan Chang's Temple") is a ruined 16th or 17th century temple. Excavated from 2002 to 2003, it primarily provides evidence of ancient flooding in the region, having been inundated by some 1.8 meters of sediment. It is speculated that it was built to face a now dried up route of the
Ping River
The Ping River ( th, แม่น้ำปิง, , ), along with the Nan River, is one of the two main tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Thuai in the Daen Lao Range, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province. After pas ...
, a major transportation and trade route of historic periods.
Wat Phaya Mangrai
Wat Phaya Mangrai
Wat Phaya Mangrai ( th, วัดพญามังราย; "Temple of King Mangrai") is a ruined temple located within the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological site, very close to the south-eastern side of Wat Phrachao Ong Dam. It is named after the h ...
( th, วัดพญามังราย; "Temple of King Mangrai") is named after the historic figure
Mangrai the Great Mangrai ( nod, ; th, มังราย; 1238–1311), also known as Mengrai ( th, เม็งราย),The name according to historical sources is "Mangrai", and this is used in most modern scholarly applications. "Mengrai", popularised by a 19 ...
. Very close to the south-eastern side of
Wat Phrachao Ong Dam
Wat Phrachao Ong Dam ( th, วัดพระเจ้าองค์ดำ; "Temple of the Black-Bodied Lord") is a ruined temple that is part of the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological site which is located just outside the northern Thai city of Ch ...
.
Wat Phrachao Ong Dam
Wat Phrachao Ong Dam
Wat Phrachao Ong Dam ( th, วัดพระเจ้าองค์ดำ; "Temple of the Black-Bodied Lord") is a ruined temple that is part of the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological site which is located just outside the northern Thai city of Ch ...
( th, วัดพระเจ้าองค์ดำ; "Temple of the Black-Bodied Lord") is named after a burnt bronze Buddha image that was discovered at the site. Very close to the north-western side of
Wat Phaya Mangrai
Wat Phaya Mangrai ( th, วัดพญามังราย; "Temple of King Mangrai") is a ruined temple located within the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological site, very close to the south-eastern side of Wat Phrachao Ong Dam. It is named after the h ...
.
Wat Pu Pia
Wat Pu Pia ( th, วัดปู่เปี้ย; "Temple of Old Man Pia") is notable for its relatively good state of preservation, including some stucco work and an intact layout.
Wat That Khao
Wat That Khao ( th, วัดธาตุขาว; "Temple of the White Reliquary) is another ruined temple from the 16th or 17th century that is named after its formerly lime-plastered chedi.
Wat That Noi
Wat That Noi ( th, วัดธาตุน้อย; "Temple of the Little Reliquary") is another ruined temple of the area, so named because of its restricted scale.
See also
*
Chiang Saen Chiang Saen may refer to:
* Chiang Saen District, in Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand
* Chiang Saen, a capital of the ancient Lanna
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้ ...
*
Haripunchai
*
History of Thailand
The Tai ethnic group migrated into mainland Southeast Asia over a period of centuries. The word ''Siam'' ( th, สยาม ) may have originated from Pali (''suvaṇṇabhūmi'', "land of gold") or Sanskrit श्याम (''śyāma'', "dark ...
*
Lanna
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
References
{{Authority control
Former populated places in Thailand
Buildings and structures in Chiang Mai
Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai Province
13th century in Chiang Mai