Golden land At first glance, it's like a long abandoned place lost to weeds that grow freely around the sandstone ruins. The only sign hinting visitors otherwise is a small board that tells them what they used to be some 2,000 years ago. We are speaking of U Thong in the central Thai province of Suphan Buri. But Assoc Prof Srisak Walliphodom, a retired history lecturer of Silpakorn University, doesn't agree with the writing on the board. Citing evidence from history and anthropology, he argues that the ancient artifacts found in U Thong indicate that it was once a flourishing trading city and part of Suwannabhumi, a kingdom that stretched from Burma in east to what is now Cambodia in the west. His claim is based on a decade-long study courtesy Thailand Research Fund. Suwannabhumi or the "golden land" and at its height of its power encompassed Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The name was given by King Ashoka of India who sent monks to spread Buddhism some 300 years before the start of the Christian calendar. "What we are taught in school here is misleading," he says. Thais are taught in school that U Thong was ruled by a king by the same name who moved his capital to Ayutthaya following the outbreak of a deadly disease. But anthropologists like Chin Youdee, Prof Jean Boisselier and Manit Walliphodom don't agree. They say some ancient items such as skeletons, beads and ornaments found in U Thong and nearby districts pre-date the Ayutthaya period by some 300 years. "One important item was the discovery of Ling-Ling-O," said the professor. The object is an earring made of either steel or stone popular circa 500 BC or the Iron Age. Ling-Ling-O is a proof of links between U Thong and Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. Also found were clay pottery, Buddha images and amulets as well as etched beads which were typical of people who lived on the west coast of India. These artifacts go on to prove that U Thong was a prosperous trading hub during the early years of Buddhism and more so when it travelled east of India. "U Thong must be the capital of Suwannabhumi," asserted Prof Srisak. Besides, satellite imaging substantiates the presence of a moat around the city that was 1,850 metres long and 820 metres wide. Its residents stored water in tanks, which in a kind of way puts them ahead of others in the region. Furthermore, icons symbolic of Hinduism were found on a mountain to the west of the city, like the Shiva Linga that epitomises Lord Shiva. It denotes phallus mounted on a round base and placed in a bowl fed by water. The base denotes the female sexual organ and together they represent the union of mind and body. Spiritually, it depicts the union between Purusha and Prakriti, in other words the fusion of pure energy and creative consciousness. The Shiva Linga is a common feature at religious ceremonies. Water from the bowl in which it is placed is regarded as sacred. Holy water from an ancient hilltop temple is believed to have flowed into a reservoir that has since dried up and the ground levelled out. In its place stands a shack and a sign in front says it's a place for elephants, although none could be seen in residence. The temple and reservoir represent the height of Hindu influence in Thailand, which is the Dvaravati period from the sixth to 11th century. Back then the area south of U Thong was still a sea. The word "Dvaravati", which was derived from coins inscribed in Sanskrit, means the "gateway to the port". If you wish to know more about this ancient city, visit U Thong National Museum. The place showcases an ancient map as well as artifacts excavated from the ruins, various of Buddha images, seals, clay dolls, coins, colourful beads and Shiva Lingas. The museum is open daily 8:30am-4pm except Monday and public holidays. Located on Malaiman Road next to the U Thong District Office and U Thong Suksa School, the museum can be reached by calling 035-551-021 and 035-551-040. |