The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. XXIX, Part 1-2, 1936 - Khamkoo

PT. I] TA I POTTERY 17
to prove that the C'alieng kilns existed prior to those of Sukhot'ai.
The latter used utensils of C'alieng, but C'alieng did not obtain any
supplies from SiH;:hot'ai, probably because t.he C'alieng article was
superior both as regards clay and finish. This evidence of the
existence at Sukhot'ai of baked clay pottery unglazed which is not
found in C'alieng, leads me to believe that Sukhot'ai must have
been in existence prior to C'alieng.
3.-THE KAL•}NG KlLNt:i.
I have come across a few specimens of pottery (Platesxll to XlV),some
broken, some perfect in form, obtained from Tung Yang in UttarfLdit,
f1·,om Lopburi and from P'ong Tii'k. Examination proves to me that
these specim ens had not their origin either in China, Siikhot'ai or
Sawank'alok. Archaeological and hi storical records which have been
so far considered would seem to sho·w that the Tai people came
:,;outh owing to the pressure of the Chinese, but there can be little
do ubt that the Tai people had spread themselves over a vast area
to the north of the Mekhong prior to the Chinese pressure on them.
The locality which I wish to talk about now is, in the modern province
of C'ieng Rai , which is the northernmost province of Siam. I
wrote to a friend there to obtain specim ens for me, laying stress on
t,h e importance of their being dug up. Subsequently I received a cup,
a salt cellar and a broken lamp, accompanied by a letter saying that
these articles had been picked up in levelling a landing ground for
airplanes. When I compared t he clay and t he enamel ·with other
examples in my possession I was fo rced to the conclusion that
pottery kilns existed iu the north too, and I offered a reward to
any one who could point out the site of the kil ns. In F ebruary
1933 I received information that kilns had been discovered at
Wieng Papao. Broken pieces of pottery coll ected in the vicinity
of these kilns were also sent to 111e. I t ook the opportunity to
visit them. I started from C'ieng Rai, travelling by motor along
the main road for 29 kilometres. Th ere the road for C'ieng Rai
branches of[ I had now to use ponies and carriers because the
country vvas intersected by hills. I came to Arnp'ho' Me S(r)uei at a
distance of 26km. from t he main road, and continued my joum ey to
\Vieng Papao at a furth er distance o£ 31 kilometres. From tbe latter
place I had to go south 15 kilometres, and then branching off to the left
at a distance of a kilometre I arrived at the kilns. The general direct-