Chronology of Religious Architecture at Sukhothai Late Thirteenth to Early Fifteenth Century

For sale in Southeast Asia

This study examines the architectural and sculptural remains at the ancient city of Sukhothai, Thailand, once a flourishing Buddhist religious community and powerful political center. In a discussion accompanied by 184 photographs and other illustrative materials, the author establishes a detailed chronology of 53 Theravada assembly halls in 42 Sukhothai monastery compounds. The results suggest that the city did not reach its zenith of religious and architectural development in the thirteenth century, as commonly believed, but only in the latter half of the fourteeth century.

About the Author

Betty Gosling gained her Ph.D. in the History of Art from the University of Michigan in 1983 with the dissertation, "The History of Sukhothai as a Ceremonial Center: A Study of Early Siamese Architecture and Society." Since the 1950s, she has lived and worked in, and made field trips to, many of the countries of Southeast Asia, along with Yunnan and Sri Lanka. She has lectured, written, and edited works on Thai art history in the USA, the UK, and Thailand. She is also a contributor to the Journal of the Siam Society.