Beheaded... now strangled!
And so to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of the Siamese kingdom, where I was intrigued by this remarkable relic – a Buddha’s head surrounded and overwhelmed by tree roots.
According to local legend, the sandstone head became separated from the body and, over the years, was gradually entwined by the roots of the constantly-growing Bodhi fig tree. The style of the carving – a flat, wide face with thick eyebrows and big wide eyelids – apparently reflects the local art style of the 17th century.
(Incidentally, my image looks like a black and white photo; look a little closer and you'll see it's actually colour.)
Beheaded... now strangled!
And so to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of the Siamese kingdom, where I was intrigued by this remarkable relic – a Buddha’s head surrounded and overwhelmed by tree roots.
According to local legend, the sandstone head became separated from the body and, over the years, was gradually entwined by the roots of the constantly-growing Bodhi fig tree. The style of the carving – a flat, wide face with thick eyebrows and big wide eyelids – apparently reflects the local art style of the 17th century.
(Incidentally, my image looks like a black and white photo; look a little closer and you'll see it's actually colour.)