Mae Sue: The Belief and Iconography of Guardian Goddesses of Infants in Central Thailand

Abstract

Mae Sue is the guardian goddess of infants in Thai culture. The ancient Thai people believed that newborn babies are, up until their first birthday, at particular risk of illness and accidents. They believed that these babies are either guarded or harassed by angels or spirits called "Mae Sue” who protect them from or cause sickness in these infants. Therefore, Mae Sue rituals appear for babies throughout their first year of life. The iconography of Mae Sue varies by day of the week, with two different styles of Mae Sue found in the form of cloth amulets or painted murals, with the former depicting Mae Sue as a goddess with a head in the shape of Navagraha’s animals and the latter, such as that found in the Mae Sue Pavilion at Wat Pho, depicting Mae Sue as a goddess with a head in the shape of an animal or human being in line with the Navagraha belief in Chalermtriphop (A Celebration of the Three Worlds) text.