Dvaravati
The
Dvaravati kingdom of the
Mon people existed from the
6th to the
11th centuries, when it was conquered by the
Khmer Empire. It was centred on the
Chao Phraya River valley in modern-day
Thailand, with
Nakhon Pathom as the capital.
The term Dvaravati was created by Thai
art historians referring to the destinct style of Buddhist art of that time. The name is derived from coins which were inscribed in
sanskrit with
śrīdvāravaṯī. The sanskrit word Dvaravati means
being a gateway to the port, thus it refers to a coastal city. (The Gulf of Thailand extended much farther north in the past, and legend tells that Nakhon Pathom was once on the seacoast.)
Little is known about the administration of the kingdom, or even whether it was technically a kingdom at all. It may simply have been a loose gathering of principalities rather than a centralised state. The main settlements appear to have been at
Nakhon Pathom,
U Thong and
Khu Bua west of the Chao Phraya. Other towns like Lavo (modern-day
Lopburi) or
Si Thep were also clearly influenced by the Dvaravati culture, but probably were not part of the kingdom.
Dvaravati itself was heavily influenced by
Indian culture, and played an important role in introducing
Buddhism and particularly
Buddhist art to the region.
*(Sri) Dvaravati, Dhida Saraya, ISBN 9747381346
*http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/7153/p7153/buddhart_s.htm
*http://www.thailand.com/travel/arts/art_central_sculpture.htm
