Architectural styles of the Dvaravati period in the carvings on Sema leaves in the northeastern Thailand

Abstract

The narrative carvings appearing on Sema leaves in the northeastern Thailand during the Dvaravati period are outstanding and unique artworks in the Dvaravati period in the northeastern region around the 12th-16th Buddhist century. The leaves can be found in many areas in the northeastern region, especially in the Chi River basin or the central northeastern region. Evidence of the dense distribution of cities in Dvaravati culture was found, such as Fa Daet Songyang City. Kamalasai District Kalasin Province Kantharawichai City Kantharawichai District Maha Sarakham Province and the city of Nakhon Japasri, Na Dun District, Maha Sarakham Province. The study was found that the leaves came in many carved images telling stories that have been found in large numbers are often found at Fa Daet Song Yang City, Kalasin Province. The stories that appear on the leaves are narrative pictures and Buddhist symbols, such as the Thammachak, the Stupa Chedi. As for narrative paintings, stories related to the Buddha's history or Buddhist Jataka are often carved with images of people, animals and objects as elements to show the important events of that story. Therefore, the narrative of the portraits in the leaves were like a symbolic medium used to teach people at that time to understand Buddhism at all levels. The images carved on the leaves can be studied in the style of architecture of the Dvaravati period in the northeastern region. It is an image that is an element in the Jataka story, which shows the story of the people's way of life in the Dvaravati period in the northeastern region. The elements of the image in the leaves show the appearance of the person, dress, ritual objects and architectural structures. The picture consists of fortifications, gates, viharn facades and houses that are a combination of ancient Dvaravati and Khmer arts that are uniquely beautiful in the northeastern region.