Khlong Sra Bua Kilns

During the Ayutthaya period, kilns were located along the banks of Khlong Sra Bua and across the area, along what is now Khlong Hua Ro, a section of the old Lopburi River.

The Description of Ayutthaya (1) mentions that above Ayutthaya's city island, there were five villages, two of which produced pottery and various kinds of tiles. This area was called Thung Khwan, with the opposite area being Thung Kaeo. Thung Khwan is west of Khlong Sra Bua, and Thung Kaeo is east of Khlong Sra Bua, mainly in the present-day Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district.

In Thung Khwan (2), there was Potters’ Village, where they manufactured rice pots, curry pots, both large and small, skillets, grills for ‘khanom khrok’ and ‘khanom bueang’, stoves, wick lanterns, torches, candle holders, flower trays, beeswax candles for offerings at the start of the Rains Retreat, earthenware bowls, and spittoons and Tile Village, where they made wife-husband tiles, turtle-scale tiles, hooked tiles, and corrugated tiles for sale. [1]

In Thung Kaeo (3), there was Wat Krut Village where they made large nang loeng jars to hold liquids for sale Herd Landing Village has braziers for forging iron nails and cramps, large and small, for sale, and Flask Village made and sells earthenware spittoons, flowerpots, candle-holders, stoves, and various dolls in the shape of elephants and horses. [2]

The 3rd Region of the Fine Arts Department, under the directorship of Mr Sod Daeng-Ied, carried out excavation work in this area between 2000 and 2002 CE to establish whether there had been small tile and pottery manufacturing factories.

The area was divided into seven zones: three in the Khlong Sra Bua area (zones 1-3), three in the Khlong Hua Ro area (zones 4-6), and one in the Khlong Mueang area (zone 7).

The Khlong Sra Bua area was divided into three zones. Zone 1 was the northern section of the canal, stretching from Wat Khruttharam to east of Wat Jong Krom, on both banks. Zone 2 covered the central part of the canal, extending from east of Wat Jong Krom to east of Wat Sri Pho. Lastly, Zone 3 encompassed the lower section of the canal, from east of Wat Sri Pho to south of Wat Kamphaeng. The total area covered was 100 metres on both sides of the canal.

The Khlong Hua Ro area also comprises three zones. Zone 4 lies along Khlong Hua Ro near Wat Khae. Zone 5 is situated along Khlong Hua Ro south of the Elephant Kraal. Zone 6 is at the junction of Khlong Hua Ro and north of Khlong Mueang, including Wat Mae Nang Pluem. The final zone is Zone 7, covering the area north of Khlong Mueang.

Thirty test pits were dug. (4) The focus of the excavations finally shifted to the Khlong Sra Bua area. Zones 4-6 were less interesting because this area was the site of the Royal Elephant Department (Krom Khochapan) during the Ayutthaya era. There was thus little evidence of artefacts, as settlement was restricted there at that time. An explanation of the kiln site in zones 4-6 can be found on the Elephant Kraal webpage. Zone 7 is now densely populated and is assumed to have had little involvement in pottery or tile manufacturing.

Two main manufacturing areas were identified on the middle-to-upper western bank and the upper eastern bank of Khlong Sra Bua. The excavation team discovered that people lived and worked in the same area, as houses were situated close to the factories.

East of Wat Khruttharam, an area produced large earthen pots, jars, and massive storage vessels. Here, open bonfire techniques were used.

From mid Khlong Sra Bua (zone 2) to the west of Wat Khruttharam (zone 1), there was a production area for various types of earthen tiles, mainly flat and cylindrical tiles, along with other decorative parts, different kinds of antefix tiles, and thick square floor tiles. In the latter area, remains of oblong updraft kilns were discovered. In zone 3, artefacts served as evidence of pottery production. In conclusion, we can state that during the Ayutthaya era, this area likely supplied the construction materials for building walls, palaces, and temples. [3]

It should be noted that the bricks used to build temples were mostly manufactured on site. An example of this can be found at Wat Phutthaisawan.

Present

Today, a few kilns are still in use. An updraft kiln can be visited east of Khlong Hua Ro (opposite the mouth of Khlong Sra Bua, near the crossing of the road leading to Wat Pom Raman and the road to the Elephant Kraal) in Suan Prik Sub-district, Ayutthaya. The site was once home to the old Wat Bua. The kiln can produce either earthenware tiles or pottery, but is primarily used for tiles (5). The tiles made are flat and pointed at the ends. Locals still use traditional tile-making techniques, so the site is definitely worth visiting.

An updraft kiln is a type of periodic kiln where the flame is introduced at or below the floor level at the bottom and vented through the top. It comprises three main parts: the firebox, the damper, and the stack area. The firebox is where the flame enters. The damper is positioned at the top of the kiln and regulates the exhaust. The stack area, where the pots are placed, is situated between the firebox and the damper. These kilns operate intermittently they are loaded, heated, cooled, and then emptied. The kiln is not fired continuously. [4]

In the area north of Khlong Sra Bua, baked-brick kilns are now rapidly emerging. Brick making is currently far more economically viable than ceramic products, but most of these brick manufacturing sites are, in fact, newcomers to the area.

Footnotes:

(1) A manuscript was found in Prince Naret Worarit's bequest to the Wachirayan Library in 1925 CE. It consisted of two parts. The second part provided a detailed description of the city, including walls, forts, gates, ferries, roads, bridges, checkpoints, customs posts, markets, craft settlements, wat, and palaces. Both parts were published in 1926 CE under the title “Description of Ayutthaya” and republished in 1929 CE with extensive annotations by Phraya Boran Ratchathanin, who had pioneered the excavation and restoration efforts in Ayutthaya. (Baker, 2011)
(2) Thung Khwan or "Field of Fumes" is an area north of the city of Ayutthaya, bordered to the north by Thung Lum Phli, to the east by Khlong Sra Bua and Thung Kaeo, to the south by the old Lopburi River, and to the west by Thung Phukhao Thong.
(3) Thung Kaeo, or "Crystal Field," was an area north of Ayutthaya, bordered on the west and north by Khlong Sra Bua on the east by Khlong Hua Ro and in the south by Khlong Mueang. The area was crossed by at least two canals running parallel to Khlong Sra Bua, namely the Pha Lai Canal and the Ban Pla Mo Canal. There was also a side canal from the Lopburi River opposite Wat Sam Wihan, called Khlong Wat Phrao. The entire area is low-lying land and is prone to flooding each year.
(4) 15 in zone 1, 5 in zone 2, 4 in zone 3, 2 in zone 4, 3 in zone 5, 1 in zone 6, and 1 in zone 7. (Yukongdi, 2009)
(5) End pointed flat tile - Krabuang Gret Tao tua Pu: 12 W x 21 L x 0,7 cm thick Krabuang Gret Tao Tua Mia: 11,5 W x 17,5 L x 0,7 cm thick. (Yukongdi, 2009)

AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH

KHLONG SRA BUA KILNS

(Spirit house figure of an elephant – Earthenware from the Khlong Sra Bua Kilns - National Museum of Asian Art Collection - S2005.7)

(Excavation plan with zones by Pakpadee Yukongdi)

(Kiln at Wat Phutthaisawan – Picture taken June 2010 CE)

(Archaeological excavation announcement by FAD 3rd Region – Picture taken July 2021)

(Updraft kilns – Picture taken December 2009 CE – The kilns were damaged in the flood of 2011 CE only a single one remains in this location)

Selected PICTURES

Wat Bua Kilns - Pictures taken May 2009 CE

Wat Bua Kilns - Pictures taken December 2009 CE

Wat Bua Kilns - Pictures taken April 2011 CE

When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
(Alexis de Tocqueville)

HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA

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