Phra Rod, Large Mold, Brown Terracotta, Wat Mahawan, Lamphun Province

This dark brown terracotta amulet is considered very rare. The piece has slightly wide and uplifted edges, which is a key feature used to verify its authenticity.

The head of the amulet is oval, with a sharp-pointed topknot. The front decoration is naturally detailed, with large round eyes—the left eye being slightly higher than the right.

The nose is prominent, and the lips form a distinct double curve. This piece’s chin remains intact without being scraped from the mold removal. The neck tendon is sharply defined.

Both ears are long, almost reaching the shoulders. The left ear tip curls inward towards the neck, while the right ear tip curls outward towards the Bodhi leaves.

The edge of the monk’s robe (sanghati) and the robe’s fold drape diagonally from the left shoulder to the right arm. The navel is deeply indented with an upward scrape.

The left arm is rounded and bent at the elbow, with the left hand resting on the lap and the thumb lifted high. The right arm is laid straight, with the palm resting above the knee and the thumb extended without being pressed.

The right foot is elevated, with the sole turned up, while the left foot tucks underneath the lap, also with the sole turned up on the right foot.

The third level of the base is a thick, flat base, with a shallow, short line above it. The second level has three layers, with a small line running along the entire length. The first level is indented, closely aligned with the second level, often referred to as a “duck-tail” base, used for removing the amulet from the mold.

There is one water drop line below the left elbow, which splits into two lines beneath the lap and further splits into three lines under the base.

Surrounding the amulet are Bodhi leaves. The right leaf is large, sharply triangular, and deep, while the left side has smaller, continuous leaves. The stems on both top sides are not clearly visible, and the left stem near the head is naturally shaped, pointing into the group of leaves on the left.

The back mold is curved like a turtle shell, with clearly imprinted fingerprint swirls, showing soil residues in the fingerprint grooves, just like those in the deep grooves of the front mold—truly magnificent.

I would like to thank Mr. Thanathat Thongniam, the owner of this large Phra Rod amulet, for allowing me to view it and for generously providing the photos used for this description.

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