The Wall of Phra Bodhisattva Cave

The bas-relief carving located in Saraburi is considered the oldest in Thailand. The site is situated at the "Wall of Phra Bodhisattva Cave" within Wat Tham Phra Bodhisattva, Thap Kwang Subdistrict, Kaeng Khoi District, Saraburi Province. The carving dates back to around the 12th Buddhist century (over 1,300 years old). It depicts the Bodhisattva seated with divine beings and Hindu deities, including Shiva and Vishnu, in a posture of reverence to the Lord Buddha. The artistic style shows influences from the Gupta and post-Gupta dynasties. Associate Professor Dr. Rungroj Thamrungreung from the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, has noted that this bas-relief is the oldest depiction of the Buddha alongside Hindu deities ever discovered in Thailand. Furthermore, it may represent either the competition between the two religions or their coexistence.