The beginning of sacred Buddhist art, the world’s mystical holy clay amulets from the land of Siam...
The legend of the creator, Queen Wisutthikasat (originally Princess Sawatdirat), chief queen consort of King Maha Thammaracha of Ayutthaya. She was the daughter of King Maha Chakkraphat and Queen Suriyothai, and mother to King Naresuan the Great, King Ekathotsarot, and Princess Suphankanlaya. She was a highly significant woman in early Ayutthaya history.
Phra Nang Phaya amulets from Wat Nang Phaya, Phitsanulok Province.
These are among the Benjapakee amulet sets. The amulets’ powers are especially noted for mercy, with strong protective and invincible qualities. Their efficacy has been well known for a long time.
Phra Nang Phaya is a Sukhothai-style Buddha image, about 400 years old, depicting the Mara Vichai posture. It has no base or niche; its edges are cut into a triangular shape close to the principal Buddha image. The back is mostly smooth, a distinctive feature with gravel embedded in the clay. Due to natural soil shrinkage over more than 400 years, tiny pits appear where the clay shrinks around the gravel, called 'seed bumps'. The amulet’s color varies in four tones—black, red, yellow, and green—caused by different heat exposure during firing. The higher the heat, the more the amulet shrinks and the smaller it becomes, with green being the smallest size.
Wat Nang Phaya amulets from Phitsanulok are recognized in seven standard molds:
1. Phra Nang Phaya Curved Knee mold (considered the largest and most popular mold).
2. Phra Nang Phaya Straight Knee mold (also a large mold, divided into two types: regular Straight Knee and Straight Knee with hands on knees).
3. Phra Nang Phaya Large Chest mold (considered a large mold).
4. Phra Nang Phaya Sangkhati mold (considered a medium mold).
5. Phra Nang Phaya Small Chest mold (considered a small mold).
6. Phra Nang Phaya Angel or Flat Chest mold (considered a small mold).
Wat Nang Phaya is located opposite Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (which houses the Phra Buddha Chinnarat image). It is believed that Queen Wisutthikasat, wife of King Maha Thammaracha and mother of King Naresuan the Great, created the Phra Nang Phaya images during the restoration of Wat Ratchaburana around 1547-1557 CE. At that time, Phitsanulok was a vassal city. Queen Wisutthikasat held the title of governor of Songkhwae, while King Maha Thammaracha was the viceroy of Ayutthaya.
Phra Nang Phaya amulets were discovered after the pagoda housing them collapsed, scattering the images across the temple grounds. When King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) toured Phitsanulok in 1901 CE to inspect the casting of a replica of Phra Buddha Chinnarat, he also visited Wat Nang Phaya. The temple presented Phra Nang Phaya amulets to him, which he then distributed to his officials and entourage. Some amulets remained and were brought back to Bangkok, where they were stored in the pagodas of Wat Sangkatjai and Wat Prasat Boonyawat. Discoveries of Phra Nang Phaya amulets at these two Bangkok temples match records of King Rama V’s visit.
