Dvaravati
|
|
The Dvaravati kingdom of the Mon people existed from the 6th to the 11th centuries. It was centred on the Chao Phraya River valley in modern-day Thailand, with Nakhon Pathom as the capital.
Originally the term Dvaravati was created by art historians referring to the destinct style of buddhistic art of that time. The term derived from coins which were inscribed in sanskrit letter with śrīdvāravaṯī. The sanskrit word Dvaravati means being a gateway to the port, thus it refers to a coastal city.
Little is known about the administration of the kingdom, or even whether it was a kingdom at all: it may have been a loose gathering of principalities rather than a centralised state. Its main settlements appear to have been at Nakhon Pathom, U Thong and Khu Bua west of the Chao Phraya. Other towns like Lavo (modern-day Lopburi) or Si Thep where also clearly influenced by the Dvaravati culture, but they were probably not part of the state.
Dvaravati was heavily influenced by Indian culture, and played an important role in introducing Buddhism and particularly Buddhist art to the region.
Further reading
- (Sri) Dvaravati, Dhida Saraya, ISBN 9747381346