Elephant Kraal of Ayutthaya: the last witness of the era of fighting giants (11 photos)

Hidden in the shadow of the ancient ruins of the city of Ayutthaya in Thailand is a unique structure - the only surviving elephant kraal in the country, built in the 16th century.





In those days, these giants were not just animals, but also decided the outcome of battles and wars, transported goods and even served as live goods for trade with India and Persia.



Elephant kraal in the past

The kraal was an ingenious trap: tamed elephants drove their wild relatives into a narrow corridor, where catchers captured them with bamboo and leather loops. The captured giants were led inside through a special passage. Massive wooden pillars and brick walls reliably held even the strongest and most powerful giants.





The Elephant Kraal in 2012, the white building is the Ganesha shrine

The elephant corral ceremonies were a spectacle of the era. They were attended by the kings of Ayutthaya, and in the center of the kraal stood a temple with an image of Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom.



War elephants were a formidable force in the Thai army. Exported specimens were sent abroad as a valuable commodity. The last official capture of wild elephants took place in 1903.



Today, an elephant farm operates next to the kraal, where these giants are bred and trained. Walking among the ancient walls, it is easy to imagine how life was in full swing here five centuries ago - the cries of mahouts, the roar of elephants and the clanking of chains, which now remain only in historical documents, in paintings and in the imagination.