Two ancient stone lintels to return to Thailand soon: FAD

By The Nation

 

11th-century stone lintel that originated at Prasat Khao Lon in Sra Kaew. Photo/Culture Ministry

 

The Fine Arts Department (FAD) announced on Monday (August 24) that the process of repatriating 23 artefacts from museums in the US is heading in the right direction.

 

“Two key 11th-century stone lintels from Buri Ram’s Prasat Nong Hong and Sa Kaew’s Prasat Khao Lon, which were part of the permanent collection of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco are currently waiting release in line with US laws,” FAD’s director-general Prateep Phengtako said.

 

These two lintels are expected to be returned to Thailand by March 2021.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30393442

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-08-24

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Two ancient stone lintels to return to Thailand soon

 

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Two key 11th-century stone lintels

Were they speaking Latin in Thailand back then as Lintel is derived from Limen , Latin for threshold .. 

will the Emerald Buddha be given back to Laos?

How did they end up in San Francisco? Air America?

11 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

 

Were they speaking Latin in Thailand back then as Lintel is derived from Limen , Latin for threshold .. 

I'm sure the Thais have a word for "lintel" which, when translated to English comes out as "lintel". Like "ทับหลัง" for example. Would look a little weird if they said
"Two key 11th-century stone ทับหลัง from Buri Ram....."

Prasat Nong Hong is in Non Din Daeng, Buri Ram. It's a decent site, fairly well cared for. I was there in Nov 2019. They were having some kind of celebration at the Agricultural School next door at the time. Lot of strange looks when I rode up on the Harley. Even more when I took my helmet off and they saw I was a foreigner.



Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaeo is on the south side of the mountain pass the divides Sa Kaeo and Buri Ram. It's off the beaten path (literally). Went there in 2017 and it took me hours to find it as it was incorrectly marked on Google Maps and then there was a single, small sign on the highway (in Thai of course) noting the dirt road leading to the site. A red dirt road which deteriorated into a rugged trail by the time you get to the base of the hill, which is out in the middle of some rice fields (literally in the middle of nowhere).

It's more of a shrine or monument than a temple as it is a single structure (prang) and doesn't have all the usual trappings of a proper temple. It was built on the top of a little pimple of a hill with a very rough stone path leading up to it.
Probably due to it's remote location, it is not in great shape. They've done some bracing to try and keep it from falling down but I dont' know if they'll bother trying to restore it if it does.


The 2 white plaques on each side of the (east facing) door are re-creations. The lintel would have gone just above the bracing and there may have been additional decoration higher up at one time.

Back in the 80s we were trying the get back The “Tap Lang” or “Lintel,”  from one temple, which is a cultural artifact from Thailand: a stone slab with a relief of a sleeping Pra Narai (Vishnu) belonging over the door of a 12th temple. It was stolen from Thailand in 1960 and was later discovered in a museum in Chicago. The temple it came from was being restored, and Carabao wrote this anthem as part of popular protests for the return of the artifact. The campaign was successful and the stone slab was returned in time for the opening of the historical park in 1998. The video tells the story.  In this protest song, Michael Jackson is used as a symbol of America. The message of “Tap Lang” is, “We Thais have a piece of our own culture which is even more important to us, so take back Michael Jackson and give us the stolen artifact!” . There are a lot more stolen artifacts out there.

 

แท่งเหลี่ยม ทับหลัง
tâeng lìam táp lăng
The lintel rectangular slab
คือความหวังของคนไทย ต่ออเมริกา
keu kwaam wăng kŏng kon tai dtòr a-may-rí-gaa
Is the hope of Thais negotiating with America
เราขอเอาคืน ของของเราเขาเอาไป
rao kŏr ao keun kŏng kŏng rao kăo ao bpai
We are asking for the return of something of ours they seized
เอาของเราไป ของคนไทยไปทําไม
ao kŏng rao bpai kŏng kon tai bpai tam-mai
Why did they take something belonging to the Thai people?
เฮลิคอปเตอร์มาทําศึก ถึงเวียดนาม
hay-lí-kóp-dtêr maa tam sèuk tĕung wîat-naam
The helicopters came to make war on Vietnam.
ตั้งฐานบนแดนไทย ขนเอาไปทุกสิงทุกอย่าง
dtâng tăan bon daen tai kŏn ao bpai túk sĭng túk yàang
[They] set up a base on Thai soil, to transport away every kind of thing

คิดจะมาขอ ตั้งฐานต่อในเมืองไทย
kít jà maa kŏr  dtâng tăan dtòr nai meuang tai
[They] think they will come request to set up a military base in Thailand
คิดจะมาง้อ ตั้งฐานทัพในเมืองไทย
kít jà maa ngór  dtâng tăan táp nai meuang tai
[They] think they will come make up with us, and set up a military base in Thailand
เมืองพระนารายณ์ ทรงหายไปกับทับหลัง
meuang prá naa-raai song hăai bpai gàp táp lăng
The city of Phra Narai is lost with the lintel
ฝังในศักดิ์ศรี ที่คนไทยมิเคยลืมเลือน
făng nai sàk sĕe têe kon tai mí koie leum leuan
Embedded with the honor/glory of Thai people, never fading

นารายณ์ นารายณ์ นารายณ์ นารายณ์
naa-raai naa-raai naa-raai naa-raai
Narai Narai Narai Narai
นารายณ์ นารายณ์ นารายณ์ ทับหลัง
naa-raai naa-raai naa-raai táp lăng
Narai Narai Nari Lintel

นารายณ์บรรทม ความชื่นชมในชนชาติ
The sleeping Narai is the appreciation of [our own] nationality
นารายณ์บรรทมเราชื่นชมไทยเป็นชาติ
naa-raai ban-tom rao chêun chom tai bpen châat
Naria sleeps. We appreciate Thailand being a nation.
มีประวัติศาสตร์ บนแผ่นดินแดนขวานทอง
mee bprà-wàt sàat bon pàen din daen kwăan tong
[We] have history on the territory of the Golden Axe*
คล้องใจไทยทุกรุ่นสืบชาติตระกูลวัฒนธรรม
klóng jai tai túk rûn sèup châat dtrà-goon wát-tá-ná-tam
Tying in every Thai heart [as we] discover the cultural of our ancestors

นารายณ์ทับหลัง ไปอยู่ยังชิคาโก้
naa-raai táp lăng bpai yòo yang chí kaa gôh
The Narai lintel went off to and still resides in Chicago
นารายณ์ทับหลัง ตั้งอยู่ยังชิคาโก้
naa-raai táp lăng dtâng yòo yang chí kaa gôh
The Narai lintel remains still in Chicago
เป็นแท่นหินพันโล ให้เด็กถามเอามาจากไหน
bpen tâen hĭn pan loh hâi dèk tăam ao maa jàak năi
It’s a thousand kilo stone alter. Have children ask where it came from.
ไม่สนหรอกพระนารายณ์ ไม่ใช่ไมเคิล แจ็คสัน
mâi sŏn ròk prá naa-raai mâi châi mai-kern jàek-săn
[They] aren’t interested in Pra Narai. [He’s] not Michael Jackson.

ฮา ฮา ฮา ฮา (ฮา ฮา ฮา ฮา)
Ha ha ha ha (Ha ha ha ha)
ฮา ฮา ฮา ฮา (ฮา ฮา ฮา ฮา)
Ha ha ha ha (Ha ha ha ha

เอาไมเคิล แจ็คสันคืนไป
ao mai-kern jàek-săn keun bpai
Take Michael Jackson back,
(เอาพระนารายณ์คืนมา)
Give [us] back Phra Narai!
(ao prá naa-raai keun maa )
5X

เพราะเราต่างกัน แตกต่างกันตรงหัวใจ
prór rao dtàang gan dtàek dtàang gan dtrong hŭa jai
Because we differ;  we differ precisely at the heart
เพราะเราต่างกัน ต่างกันตรงความเข้าใจ
prór rao dtàang gan dtàang gan dtrong kwaam kâo jai
Because we differ; we differ precisely in our understanding
ทับหลังนารายณ์ ไทยใช้เหนี่ยวรั้งความดี
táp lăng naa-raai tai chái nìeow ráng kwaam dee
Thais use the Narai lintel for harnessing goodness [merit/luck]
แต่คุณมีประดับบารมี สะสมสิ่งนี้เป็นรสนิยม
dtàe kun mee bprà-dàp baa-rá-mee sà-sŏm sìng née bpen rót ní-yom
But you have a grand decoration. [You] acquire this thing just because of taste/fashion

คิดคนละทาง ไม่มีทางสร้างสันติ
kít kon-lá taang mâi mee taang sâang săn dtì
Thinking of every path, there is no way for peace.
คิดคนละทาง ไม่มีทาง ไม่มีทาง
kít kon-lá taang mâi mee taang mâi mee taang
Thinking of every path, there is no way! There is no way!
เทพีสันติภาพ ยืนหลับในไร้จุดหมาย
tay pee săn dtì pâap yeun làp nai rái jùt măai
The Statue of Liberty stands sleeping without meaning
แค่ทับหลังนารายณ์ คุณยังทับหลังคนไทย
kâe táp lăng naa-raai kun yang táp lăng kon tai
Only the Narai Lintel . . . you are still a lintel of the Thai people

เอาไมเคิล แจ็คสันคืนไป
ao mai-kern jàek-săn keun bpai
Take back Michael Jackson!
(เอาพระนารายณ์คืนมา)
Give [us] back Phra Narai!
(ao prá naa-raai keun maa )