Srivijaya or Srivichai Art
The term Srivijaya art is like the term Lan Na art in that it reflects various infusions of style from India, Champa [ Vietnam ] and central Java it might rather be a reference to all art and architecture in South Thailand in the period 7th - 13th C. The Kingdom was ruled by the Sailendra dynasty of Central Java, which also ruled the Indonesian Archipelago, the Malay Peninsula and Southern Thailand to the Isthmus of Kra.
Its capital in what is now Thailand was the City of Chaiya [ then called Grahi ]. In Thailand sculpture and architectural relics confirm that Mahayana Buddhism was predominate. The style reflects close resemblance to Indo-Javanese art also showing influences from India [ Amaravati, Pala and Gupta ].
Most Srivijaya architecture is on the east coastline from Surat Thani Province south to Songkhla Province and comprises religious buildings of Mahayana Buddhism. Good examples are Phra Borom Mathat at Chaiya in Javanese style made of brick and mortar [ 9th – 10th C ], Wat Kaew Pagoda at Chaiya also of Javanese form and Wat Long Pagoda. The original Wat Mahathat at Nakhon Si Thammarat [ a Srivijayan city ] was subsequently encased by a larger Sri Lanka styled building
Good examples of Srivijaya art, especially bronzes can be seen at National Museum Bangkok. Major works include the Bodhisatta Bronze with silver inlay shown above. This was found at Chaiya, Surat Thani and dates 8th – 9th C. Another major work as shown here is the Buddha under the Naga King, ‘’Muchalinda’’, in bronze. This is from Wat Wieng, Chaiya, Surat Thani, and is dated 1183
From the 11th C Khmer influences were also apparent. In the middle of the 13th C the Srivijaya Empire fell apart and the new Tai Empire of Sukhothai penetrated as far South as Nakhon Sri Thammarat bringing with it new influences on art.