Men found an unknown statue in the middle of a Thai forest: scientists are puzzled (5 photos)

Recently, Thai mushroom pickers found a stone sculpture of a woman resembling Buddha's mother and reported the discovery to researchers. Despite the remote location of the find, archaeologists have doubts about the origin of the statue.





Earlier this month, three Thai men looking for mushrooms in the Dong Yai Nature Reserve came across a stone sculpture of a woman in the middle of the forest. The find has already caused debate among scientists who are trying to date the statue.



Pramul Kongkratok, one of the men who found the statue, shared the discovery on social media, expressing his surprise and delight at finding the sculpture in a place he had known for so long. He called it a blessing.

The farmers reported their discovery to Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Officials investigated and found the sculpture near the Cambodian border in Buriram province. Her exact age remains unknown and the Thai Department of Art intends to conduct a detailed investigation.





The sculpture, carved on the sloping surface of a rock, depicts a woman in full height. She has long hair, traditional clothing including a long skirt and a heavy scarf around her neck, and appears to be holding a branch above her head. Some believe that the sculpture dates from the period of Dvaravati, a Southeast Asian kingdom that existed from the 6th to the 11th centuries, and that it represents Maya Devi, the mother of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha.

However, this theory is not generally accepted. Chedha Thingsanchali, an art historian at Silpakorn University in Thailand, suggests the sculpture may be more recent. He argues that the sculptor probably imitated ancient Indian art, but created his work much later.

Tingsanchali points out that the facial features of the sculpture, such as eyebrows and lips, do not match those of the Dvaravati era. Moreover, he notes that the image of Maya Devi with a branch of a fig tree (sacred fig tree) was not common in the region during that era.



The fig tree originates from Southeast Asia and has religious significance for Buddhists and Hindus. Interestingly, the sculpture was discovered less than two kilometers from the ancient Buddhist temple Wat Pa Ka Kra Jao. Additionally, a group of monks known for their artistic skills lived in the area just a few decades ago, which may explain the origin of the sculpture.