Data from the Excavation at Makhok Temple in the Ancient Kamphaeng Phet Town

Abstract

In the year 2015, Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park launched an excavation and restoration project at Makhok Temple, located in the Aranyik area of the ancient Kamphaeng Phet Town. On the temple grounds are located many constructions, such as the main stupa, the surrounding stupas, a pavilion or “sala,” the monks’ cells and toilets, and a pond. Artifacts discovered during the excavation include potsherds from local Sukhothai kilns, Ming blue and white wares from Chinese kilns, and stucco fragments of Buddha images. The most interesting artifact is a fragment of Buddha image made of clear white stone, presumably in Lanna style. All the artifacts demonstrate that the temple grounds were actively used between the 20th – 22nd centuries of the Buddhist Era, the time when Kamphaeng Phet Town fully prospered.