The Ancient City Nakhon Prathom, Thailand
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We visited The Ancient City of Nakhon Prathom which is located at the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand about 56 km from Bangkok, on October 31st, 2022.
The Ancient City of Nakhon Prathom is considered as the largest city among ancient cities in Dvaravati culture. Its size is approximately 3,6 kilometers long with 2 kilometers width, covering an area about 1,830 acres. The city is located on a riverine area where there are two main rivers, Bang-Kaew and Bank-Kham, flow on the north and south, and they were surely the main transportation routes in the old days. In Phra Pathom Chedi National Museum, we found some pieces of artifacts that witnessed the entering foreigners into the ancient city of Nakhon Prathom such as an image of a male foreigner, incised on a brick, discovered from an ancient stupa Chula Pathon Chedi, judges by the appearance of the incised image. He might be the Muslim merchant, travelling from West Asia to the ancient city of Nakhon Prathom. The collection highlight in the Phra Pathom Chedi National Museum are Dharmacakra, the Standing Buddha, the Buddha with Vanaspati, the bass-relief depicting a scene of the first preaching of lord Buddha (6th – 11th C), Jatakas plaque from Chula Pathon Chedi, Asuras, Wat Phra Ngam Inscription and many others. |
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A historical background of Phra Pathom Chedi National Museum can be traced back to the first half of 19th Century, when Phra Vajirayan Bikkhu was on pilgrimage journey in 1831, and found Phra Pathom Chedi (the ruin of Dvaravati stupa) which had been abandoned in a forest for a long time. Finally, an official opening ceremony was held on October 30th 1971. We are pleased to have an opportunity to visit the Ancient city of Nakhon Prathom. Phra Pathom Chedi National Museum was well preserved and well maintained, the museum itself as well as its environment. They offer tranquility for the visitor to explore the museum freely yet responsibly. |
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This visiting program to Ancient city of Nakhon Prathom is so precious for our foundation to enrich our knowledge about the prehistoric era at the same time to see how culture is applied in everyday life of a society back then and how people maintain the value of nature in their behaviors toward their fellow men as well as environmental surround nowadays.