Buried gems waiting to be unearthed
Written by changthai11 on Saturday, September 27th, 2008
Buried gems waiting to be unearthed
PHRAE : When it comes to renowned ancient ruins, Wiang Ta archaeological site is the crown jewel of Long district. Some believe a buried gem is waiting to be unearthed among the ruins of what they say is an unrecorded ancient city, inside Doi Pakong national park compound.
Close to Wiang Ta historical ruins in tambon Tapamok, this alleged ancient city could be the country’s next major archaeological discovery.
The story about the city has been told and retold as folk tale and passed from generation to generation, according to Sitthichai Laosakul, chairman of the provincial amulet club.
A passionate enthusiast for the legendary city, Mr Sitthichai said the public is still kept in the dark about its origins, due to a lack of comprehensive archaeological research.
He believes the anonymous city might have been founded before Wiang Ta, which served as a frontier town of Lampang province in ancient times.
The lost city is thought to be located opposite Wiang Ta with a mountain forming a natural barrier between two cities.
Legend has it that anyone who talked about the city would meet his death, so no one in the old days dared mention it.
A small creek called ”Suak” is thought to have snaked its way through the city.
Suak means ”hostile” in northern dialect, Mr Sitthichai said.
He believed the ”cursed city” might be Chiang Juen, but its exact location is still unclear.
Broken earthen pottery, which contains a written reference to Wiang Ta, is proof, he says, of strong ties between the ruined city and its satellite town.
The Department of Fine Arts is excavating the site to see if it can cast light on the mystery.
Mr Sitthichai said many ancient Buddha images housed in temples nearby were possibly relocated from temples which once stood in the forgotten city.
Sacred amulets, especially Yod Khunpol (Great Army Chief) amulets, have also been discovered in the ruins.
Mr Sitthichai said the Yod Khunpol amulets are the most sought-after lucky charm among amulet aficionados and antique collectors because of their rarity.
Some can fetch as much as 50,000 baht each.
Now that a potential treasure trove has been discovered, experts are worried that a new spell of antiquities thefts might take place, fuelled by demand from those wanting to get their hands on a piece of history. They are discussing how to protect the ruins from archaeological looters. _ Thaweesak Sukkhasem
