Artifact Gallery and Parking lot

The building is situated near parking lot, it is the gallery where exhibited a part of antique which is an architectural component from the excavation. According to the excavation of this historical site, a lot of architectural components, such as terracotta stucco, stone and laterite were found.

Stucco pattern

   There are stucco pattern in a figure of person both male and female, angle, and giant that sometime wear headdress or coronet, but the most is disappeared. Furthermore, there are animal stucco which the most are important animal of religion and belief, such as elephant, monkey, and Naga. The floral pattern that decorated in various floor until the upper part which is a design of Prasat top.

Terracotta of Architecture

   Most of it is Thai roof tiles called Gabu tiles. The terracotta roofing tile set with a spur is a half cylinder looks like leaf sheaf of banana tree, a tip is few diverged with a protruding spur inside, roof by inverted the roof tiles. The terracotta roofing tile set with a hook on the upper part is curve tiles which flatter than the terracotta roofing tile set with spur with a few protruding spur at the central outside of the roof tiles, roof by turn it over. The terracotta roofing tile set (Cheung Chai) that used to close the terracotta roofing tile set with a spur which is same design, a tip is created as sharp triangle looks like flower petal or Kra-Chang Pattern. Apart from roof tile, there is earthenware Bralee that decorated roof ridge. It is looks like lotus bud that the lower part diverged as a pedestal, the tip which is concave and balance with the roof. The most of architectural components of Prasat Muang Singh is laterite and stucco, using sandstone at the important part only, such as Prang top, cornerstone, and holy water gutter. It may be cause from the area is lack of sandstone which is just a reason, but not all correct because found that the area which abundant in sandstone also used laterite.

The antiquities in a group of religious sculpture

   According to the archaeological evidence found from an excavation of four historical sites of Prasat Muang Singh, a lot of antiquities which is the Mahayana Buddhism sculpture were found. Most of them are Buddha Sheltered by Naga Hood, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and Prajnaparamita or Panya Baramee (female god) which is the highest sculpture of Mahayana Buddhism also called “Buddhist Traid”. Most Buddha Sheltered by Naga Hood were collapsed, left only pedestal part, their faces are indistinct because some part has not finished latch. They were mostly found at the historical site number 1 about three statues, some of them were blended with local style, but still being the Bayon Khmer Art around the 18th century Buddha. The design of Buddha statue in this period will has a smile on his face showing an act of benevolence and the eyes is completely closed.

   Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara found at Prasat Muang Singh is Chaturbhuja Avalokiteshvara (4 hands) about 14 statues, the 6 statues were found at the historical site number 1, 6 statues at the historical site number 2, and 1 statue at the outside of western rampart. They are the style of Bayon Khmer Art as can be seen from quite square-shaped face, completely closed eyes, smile mouth, cylinder-shaped radius on Buddha head, and hair with small crescent moon latched that descending order as a straight line. There is Dhyani Buddha Amitabha (Buddha in the Attitude of Meditation) in front of a hair bun or Brah Khet Mala, wear short loincloth with fish tail hem and also belt with buckle in the front and back, the lower edge of Sarong has a decoration of lined pattern.

   Apart from the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara as mentioned above, there is Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with another special character likes Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara which spread a radius as standing man with 1 head and 8 hands, his face is square shaped with dark eyebrow, prominent nose, smile mouth, and Brah Khet Mala in cylinder-shaped. Also has a second sight in the middle of forehead. In the front part latched as an image of Dhyani Buddha Amitabha which hair, Brah Khet Mala, arm, the front upper body, and a half of back body latched as person in meditation posture that decorated over chest and waist which has the decoration of large portrait also. The lower body wear short loincloth with a pattern with fish tail hem in the front and back and also wear a belt. Sarong pattern latched as a sacred bead. Furthermore, there is a small portrait in meditation posture around the ankle and the ten toes.

   In addition, there is a sculpture of Prajnaparamita or Panya Baramee, a female deity of Mahayana Buddhist which originated from the important scripture called Prajnaparamita Scripture. The statue of Prajnaparamita was found about 4 statues, but it is completed about 2 statues. Their designs are 1 head and 2 hands with Dhyani Buddha Amitabha in front of Brah Khet Mala. For the statue that has complete hand, the right-hand hold a lotus and the left-hand hold Prajnaparamita Scripture (which different from the statue found at Cambodia that hold a lotus by the left-hand and the right-hand hold Prajnaparamita Scripture or Prajnabaramee Scripture). Base on the design of face with closed eyes, smile mouth, and Sarong with straight hem which is a fabric with pattern and triangle hem that hanged at the front illustrated style of Bayon Khmer art as an act of smile on the face of Buddhist sculpture, completely closed eyes, and female Sarong without pleat, but wear the floral pattern Sarong with triangle front hem and floral-latched belt.

   Muang Singh Historical Park has imitated these Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and Prajnaparamita statues and also exhibited at the Artifact Gallery of the historical park for people to study about their design and style about 9 statues including a statue of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara spreading a radius also.

   Apart from the large Buddhist sculpture as mentioned above, it also found small sculpture, such as votive tablet includes terracotta votive tablet, terracotta mold, and lead votive tablet that found at the historical site number 1 and the historical site number 3. Furthermore, there are 3 terracotta molds found at the outside of western rampart. The antiquities as tools were found as pottery includes Earthen Ware (e.g. pottery censer, Quarterfinalist with lid) and porcelain both Sukhothai style and Khmer style as well as Chinese porcelain, and Vietnamese porcelain. The other antiquities found, such as grinder with pestle, Polished Stone Axe, Agate stone beads, Carnelian stone beads, and glass beads. Lead Antiquities that found, such as Bronze Naga Head which is the decoration of royal chariot or palanquin, golden ring, steel bracket and Stanley Cold Chisel that used for construction.

Reference Muang Singh Historical Park Website: www.muangsinghp.com