Phra Rod is one of Thailand’s oldest and most revered amulets, with origins dating back over a thousand years. It is widely believed to have been created during the Dvaravati period, a time when the Hariphunchai Kingdom (present-day Lamphun Province) flourished in Northern Thailand. Phra Rod is named after its association with the ancient city of Hariphunchai, where these amulets were discovered in large quantities.
Historical Background
Phra Rod is closely linked to Wat Mahawan, a temple in Lamphun where the majority of these amulets were found. According to legend, the amulet was created by Queen Chammathewi and consecrated by a hermit who practiced deep asceticism, making it immensely powerful and sacred. The hermit was highly revered and believed to possess great spiritual power, which he infused into the amulets.
Significance and Power
Phra Rod is known for its protective qualities, especially against dangers and accidents. The name “Rod” (รอด) itself means “to escape” or “to survive” in Thai, reflecting the belief that the wearer of this amulet will be safeguarded from harm. Additionally, Phra Rod is believed to bring prosperity, success, and good fortune to its bearer.
Design
The amulet typically features a seated Buddha in the posture of meditation, with distinctive characteristics such as a pointed head and pronounced facial features. The amulets are small in size, often crafted from clay and bear a distinct, ancient style that reflects their age and cultural heritage.
Varieties
Phra Rod amulets are classified into five primary groups based on their distinct features and the temple where they were found, known collectively as the “Phra Rod Benjapakee” (Five Great Phra Rod). The most famous of these are from Wat Mahawan, Wat Prang, and Wat Chamadevi.
Collectibility and Value
Due to their age and the spiritual significance attributed to them, Phra Rod amulets are highly prized by collectors and practitioners of Buddhism. They are considered rare, and authentic specimens, especially those in good condition, can be quite valuable.
Phra Rod remains a symbol of ancient Thai craftsmanship and spiritual heritage, cherished by those who seek protection and blessings in their lives.
Principle of proof
We therefore employed the principle of proof using the radioactive isotope of carbon-14.
From the graph:
- The purple line represents the relationship between the age calculated by measuring the amount of carbon-14 (Radiocarbon determination (BP)) and the number of years counted backward from AD 1950 (Calibrated date (calBC)).
- The area under the red graph shows the graph of time in years compared to the present, averaged from all the gray graphs, with the peak value at 3563.26 years.
- The area under the gray graph represents the amount of carbon measured at various times from multiple samples taken from the same Phra Rod amulet, with the highest value being 1979 years.
In conclusion, the age of the Phra Rod Lamphun amulet is 3563.26 years. The discrepancy is due to the sample collection, which likely included soil from the Buddha statue, rather than being exclusively the plant-based binding material. This led to a lower-than-expected C-14 content, resulting in the amulet’s age being greater than it should be.
*Analysis performed by: Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, Department of Physics, Swiss Federal University of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland.”