Wat Phra Singh: Footprint of the Buddha

THAILAND, Chiang Mai

This wooden footprint of the Buddha was created in the first half of the 16th century and after it was partially destroyed by fire, it was restored in 1794. Originally kept by the ruler of Chiang Mai, his family later donated it to Wat Phra Singh.
The rectangular panel is made of black lacquered wood painted in vermilion, gilded, and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. In the upper register, the toes are shown with a wheel pattern and key design below. In the middle register, there is a Dharma wheel with 1,000 spokes, one of the Thirty-Two Marks of Excellence and representative of the continuous spread of the Buddha’s teachings. The remainder of the middle register consists of tiny pagodas and seated Buddha images. The bottom register contains a representation of Mount Sumeru. The footprint is bordered by a gilt floral, cloud and bird design.