Si Satchanalai Ceramic Figurines from Klang Aow Shipwreck, Thailand: ideas,
Functions and Their Roles
Dublin Core
Title
Si Satchanalai Ceramic Figurines from Klang Aow Shipwreck, Thailand: ideas,
Functions and Their Roles
Functions and Their Roles
Description
Amongst the most remarkable commodities of Thailand on the maritime trade routes during the fourteenth to the
seventeenth centuries was Thai ceramics “Sangkhalok” (the ceramics characterised by green glazed, brown
glazed, and underglaze black stoneware produced from Si Satchanalai and Sukhothai kilns). They were made in
various shape, such as bowl, jar, plate and figurines. They are marked as one of the significant products found
from shipwrecks around Thai waters. The figurines were originated from Pa Yang kilns as one group of kiln at
the Si Satchanalai kiln complex; as it was also a dependency under the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1438) where
the people made ceramics by local materials and applied local wisdoms and handicraft skills to the ceramics. The
research materials for this paper focused on the 80 Si Satchanalai figurines recovered from the Klang Aow
shipwreck. The shipwreck date (cal. 1305–1420 CE) is based on the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) result
of a small bamboo sample stuck on the body of Si Satchanalai green glazed small bottle. This paper aims to find
out what was the manufacture purpose of these figurines, as they played a major role in Southeast Asian and East
Asian maritime trade networks during the fourteenth to the fifteenth centuries? The result indicates these figurines
were created at the Pa Yang village of Si Satchanalai kiln in Sukhothai province during the late fifteenth to the
sixteenth centuries, to meet the demand for religious activities and toys in folk theatre.
seventeenth centuries was Thai ceramics “Sangkhalok” (the ceramics characterised by green glazed, brown
glazed, and underglaze black stoneware produced from Si Satchanalai and Sukhothai kilns). They were made in
various shape, such as bowl, jar, plate and figurines. They are marked as one of the significant products found
from shipwrecks around Thai waters. The figurines were originated from Pa Yang kilns as one group of kiln at
the Si Satchanalai kiln complex; as it was also a dependency under the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1438) where
the people made ceramics by local materials and applied local wisdoms and handicraft skills to the ceramics. The
research materials for this paper focused on the 80 Si Satchanalai figurines recovered from the Klang Aow
shipwreck. The shipwreck date (cal. 1305–1420 CE) is based on the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) result
of a small bamboo sample stuck on the body of Si Satchanalai green glazed small bottle. This paper aims to find
out what was the manufacture purpose of these figurines, as they played a major role in Southeast Asian and East
Asian maritime trade networks during the fourteenth to the fifteenth centuries? The result indicates these figurines
were created at the Pa Yang village of Si Satchanalai kiln in Sukhothai province during the late fifteenth to the
sixteenth centuries, to meet the demand for religious activities and toys in folk theatre.
Creator
Khongkamon Rattapat
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Rattapat, Khongkamon. “Si Satchanalai Ceramic Figurines from Klang Aow Shipwreck, Thailand: ideas, Functions and Their Roles. 2023.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Atthasit Sukkham. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1938
Files
Citation
Khongkamon Rattapat, “Si Satchanalai Ceramic Figurines from Klang Aow Shipwreck, Thailand: ideas,
Functions and Their Roles,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1938.
Functions and Their Roles,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1938.