Tsatsa - Votive Amulet - Siamese Buddhism

Tsatsa, Buddhist devotional object, molded in terracotta.

In the center, Siddhartha Gautama in the bhumisparsha mudra position (symbol of the Buddha's victory over Māra, who tried to prevent him from achieving enlightenment). Alongside these, two disciplines to be precisely identified, perhaps Sāriputta and Moggallāna? Under this scene a frieze depicting bodies.

Beautiful patina.

Region of Siam, present-day Thailand.

The tsatsa is a sacred object. It is found almost everywhere: in sacred mountains, temples of the gods and monasteries, near rivers and lakes, in the middle of a path or at a crossroads. To ensure that the tsatsa is properly arranged, a niche is built, called a caitya. Some tsatsa are placed either inside a large Buddha statue or in the center of a stupa. Some are easily transported and serve as a talisman.