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

This large Phra Rod amulet is made from white terracotta. The front mold features a white-brownish color with a slight reddish tint, while the back mold is pure white. The back is curved like a turtle shell, with clearly visible fingerprint impressions across the entire surface.

The main feature of this large Phra Rod is the topknot, which is in a “jibo” shape, with naturally sharp front decoration. The eyes are large and round, with the left eye slightly higher than the right.

The nose is broad and rounded, resembling a rose apple, and the lips form a distinct double curve with a central groove. The chin is intact without any scraping, indicating that it was not damaged during the mold removal process.

The right arm is straight, with the large hand resting on the knee and the thumb extended. The left arm is also straight at the elbow, bending at the wrist with the left hand resting on the lap.

The right foot rests atop the left, with the sole facing upward, while the left foot is tucked beneath the lap, also facing upward. There is a small line running underneath the lap, extending all the way along.

The third layer of the base is thick and extends along the entire lap, with a small line underneath it. The second layer of the base consists of three tiers, while the lowest base has a “duck-tail” appearance due to the pressure used to remove the amulet from the mold, causing a noticeable distortion.

There is a waterfall-like line beneath the left elbow, which splits into two lines beneath the lap, and further splits into three lines beneath the third base.

The right side of the Bodhi leaves surrounding the amulet is denser than the left side, with larger and thicker leaves. A leaf stem appears beside the right side of the head, although it is not clearly visible on the right side of the head. A stem naturally extends from the right side of the head into the left group of leaves.

Once again, I would like to extend my gratitude to Mr. Thanathat Thongniam for generously providing the images of this large white terracotta Phra Rod for this description.

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