Museum-ed memories of Lan Na

Lan Na , " The Kingdom of A Million Rice Fields " , aka Lannathai , flourished between 12 th and 18 th CE in Northern Thailand, rivalling Ayutthya , Siam and Myanmar in might . Most kingsof the line were vassals and allies of the larger neighbours till the kingdom was sacked by Thonburi and Myanmar . It was eventually absorbed into Greater Siam ( Thailand)

King Mangrai  built  Chiang Mai as the ambitious capital of Lan Na in  13 CE. 

Most of Lan Na art and architecture are preserved in modern Chiang mai and a small museum called FolkLife museum  is dedicated  to showcasing the forgotten life and culture of the Lanna people . 

From that museum : 

Ta Laew : The Eye of The Hawk . Based on the belief that the keen eyesight of the Hawk can see far and penetrate mystery , Lanna people erected this protective pole , symbolising the Hawk , at the entrance  to the town, the temple , the home , the granary etc. Made  of reeds , bark , palm fronds , grasses etc. 

Khoen  Ware ( Khrua  buk khran hang ) : Beautiful objects coated/ decorated with Laquer  and cinnabar . The art said to be originated by skillful people of Chiang  Teng situated in the Khoen River Basin. During the reign of King Kawila , they mifrated southwards to the Ping River Basin and the  beautiful black and gold decorative craft flourished and is widespread to this day .

Objects of everyday use were simply coated with black  laquer and decorated with cinnabar . The Ban Nantaram community added the unique feature of etched floral patterns .

For richer effect , cinnabar was replaced with gold leaf . The black  and gold combo ismuch favoured to this day in creating stunningly ornate door , window and wall panels in most Wats . 

Ceramics . The Lanna made a wide variety of ceramic ware , not just utility objects but toys and decorative things too . The ancient Lanna clay figures stringly resemble the  precolumbian Mesoamerican artefacts . 

Maha Wan Ya Amulet dolls . 

Not a Buddhist tradition , but an Animistic belief , bordering on blackmagic . Traditional Small talismans made using raw material like powdered human bones , ash from cremation , earth from rocksalt deposits , minerals etc. , the images were of ogres , animals etc. Having passed into Buddhism , the raw materials used now are less gory ( minerals , plant material etc ) and the figures are mostly of Buddha or the goodluck mandalas . Inks prepared with rainwater are used for painting on details on the laq coating . 

Lanna Stucco  is considered the best among Thai plaster work . The figures are exquisitely moulded, very graceful and of smooth finish achieving the effect of highly polished stone . 

The plaster used was a mixture of limestone , shells , fine sand , oil of Tong Tung wood , sugarcane juice with plant fiber , rice staw and reeds as binders.