The Visible Physical of SamKhok Water Jar, Pathum Thani

Abstract

“Tum SamKhok” or SamKhok water jar is a household product of local wisdom from the Mon community who immigrated to settle along the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the early Ayutthaya period in SamKhok District, Pathum Thani Province. Making a living by molding and boating, selling unglazed earthenware. Khok means a mound with a hood-type kiln for firing earthenware. Three is the number. Sam Khok means sites with 3 kilns. Study, observe, interview and analyze data from documents, research papers, and actual site visits of 3 temples that have evidence of Tum SamKhok excavation, namely Wat Sing, Wat Sala Daeng Nuea, and Wat Pho Luan. The objective is to study, analyze and compare visible physical of SamKhok water jar, Pathum Thani. The visible physical is form and pattern of an unglazed earthenware with middle layer of Samkok clay that is tough, shrinks, absorbs water, thus retains coolness well. Clay when burned has a reddish-orange color. The size and proportion of the water jar is not high, the middle is rounded, starting from the base of the nostrils. Decorated with a pair of deep grooves at a slight distance from each other around the sloping and harmonious shoulder. The mouth of the water jar is small in diameter, similar to the bottom. There are 3 sizes of Samkhok water jar divided according to their usefulness: small, medium and large. Samkhok water jars are handicrafts made of 9 river soils or paddy fields mixed with 1-part fine brick and 1 part rice husk mixed together. It has been trampled until smooth before being molded and burned. Therefore, the shape and size will not be the same and all are just the closest to each other. Changing lifestyles have reduced the demand for this household product to the point of lack of inheritance. In addition, the Mon people migrated to Nonthaburi and Ratchaburi province, developing patterns, and manufacturing techniques into new water jars that were taller and less bulging.