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↑ Up one levelThai Manuscript Chest
Identity area
Reference code
GB 891 QW-QW/14-QW/14/1
Publication status
Published
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
1 object
Context area
Name of creator
(1900-1981)
Biographical history
Horace Geoffrey Quaritch Wales was born in 1900 and educated at Charterhouse and Queen's College Cambridge. In 1924 he entered the service of the Siamese government and from 1924-1928 acted as an adviser to King Rama VI and King Rama VII. This led to the publication of _Siamese State Ceremonies_ (1931), and _Ancient Siamese Government and Administration_ (1934), this volume being translated into Thai in the same year. He married and with his wife, Dorothy, began extensive travel particularly in south and southeast Asia. During 1934-6 he served as field-director for the Greater India Research Committee, directing archaeological work on early Buddhist sites in Thailand. From 1937-1940 he and his wife undertook surveys and excavations in Malaya, particularly in the Kedah region. He published _The Making of Greater India_ (1951) and continued to publish books, articles and reviews throughout his career. He died in 1981.
Repository
Royal Asiatic Society Archives
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Small Thai Manuscript chest decorated in a black and gold design. There are three painted panels in the front, three at the back and one one either side. The base consists of two platforms which are decorated with floral motifs and geometrical patterns. The front panels show an ox drinking water from a lake on the lateral panels and a tiger on the middle panel. On one side there are two monkeys interacting with each other; the other side has a similar scene but with an additional hare looking at the monkeys. One back panel shows two humans talking to each other with one crouching and the other hanging off a cliff, the middle panel has a tiger attacking a crane-like bird and the third panel has two birds with human heads. All the panels have floral backgrounds. The top section has motifs too but the lid has no decoration on it. The chest is 82cm x 29cm at its base with a height of 34cm. It is unknown when this chest came into the possession of Quaritch Wales.
The chest is currently housed in the Reading Room.
Conditions of access and use area
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