Style of Pottery Products of Ban Tao Hai in Phitsanulok Province

The objective of this research was to investigate the history and analyze the style of pottery products of Ban Tao Hai in Phitsanulok province. The research procedure took on documentary study appeared with the stories of pottery products of Ban Tao Hai, and explore pottery products of Ban Tao Hai in the museums and those discovered in Phitsanulok province. Data analysis focused on the history, styles, decorative patterns, and marks or symbols observed. Research result demonstrated that the pottery products of Ban Tao Hai were located in the ancient kiln sites at Ban Tao Hai currently situated in the area of Ta Pakao Hai temple and Ta Pakao Hai school at Hua Raw sub-district, Amphur Muang, Phitsanulok province. It is a cluster of large kilns stacked up and lined up along the Nan River, the kilns with high-technology. The products were either earthenware or large stoneware such as jars, jugs, basins, and bowls. According to the survey and excavation on 2 April 1984 by the regional Office of Fine Arts of Sukhothai and Phitsanulok, a stack of 2 kilns was discovered, i.e. the brick-built crossdraft kilns in similar sizes called Phitsanulok Kiln 1 (PK.1) and Phitsanulok Kiln 2 (PK.2). Ban Tao Hai pottery products that the researcher found were kept in the museum and in the community, altogether 80 pieces. Most of them were not in perfect condition, and only some with perfect condition were in good storage. These 80 pieces were in 6 categories- 1) wide-mouth jar, 16 pieces; 2) flaring-mouth jar, 17 pieces; 3) basin, 2 pieces; 4) round-bottom pot, 3 pieces; 5) jarlet, 33 pieces; and 6) mortar, 9 pieces. Among them, 17 pieces were decorated with applied spiral design (Lai Kod Hoi) so called “Lai Ou†, 27 pieces with excised and impressed designs, and another 36 pieces were undecorated. They comprised 26 glazed and 54 unglazed pieces. One of the unique features of Ban Tao Hai pottery was the marks or symbols made by the potters on the body of workpieces. The study revealed 22 marked and 54 unmarked pieces of pottery.