Dedicated to the art and culture of Thailand, this volume explores the ancient and various origins of this modern country's identity. The Thai identity is the result of an extraordinary process of integration, clash and selection of different cultural traditions, the expression of the various civilisations which inhabited the same area over time. From the contacts with the Indian world to the beginning of the first Buddhist Dvaravati civilisation, to the provincial features of the Khmer civilisation and the flourishing of the first reign, the book looks over the fascinating route to modern Thailand, through the most up-to-date historical studies and the reconstruction based on archaeological and artistic testimonies. Colour illustrations
