Does this Buddha image below look familiar to you? If you are looking for a postcard of Ayutthaya, you will never miss this picture - The famous head of sandstone Buddha image entangled with figs. Impressive!!!

Though the body is gone, the sandstone head is entrapped in the roots and lies beneath a Bodhi (Banyan) tree in the vicinity of Wat Mahathat. This piece of ancient antique is definitely too precious to let it just stay under a tree, hence there is a designated security personnel sitting nearby to watch us while we were busy taking photos. Well guarded!

Also known as royal monastery, several restoration works took place before Ayutthaya was sacked. During the collapse of Ayutthaya, this wat was burnt and since then it remains as ruins.

In 1956 A.D., Fine Arts Department discovered the relics of Buddha in a chedi/stupa besides some other antiques including Buddha image, votive tablets, covered boxes in the shaped of fish and gold plaques in the animals form. These objects were later transferred and kept in Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

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written by www.samyeap.com , October 07, 2008

now, I know where the Buddha head comes from.

thanks.

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