If you ever have the pleasure of visiting the National Museum Bangkok, you’ll find that it has a lot of stories to tell. Through its priceless artifacts, the Museum narrates the rise and fall of ancient civilizations, including one of Thailand’s oldest cities: Nakhon Pathom.

A major city of the Dvaravati kingdom (7th – 11th century), “Nakhon Pathom” is derived from the Pali, Nagara Pathama, or “the first city.” An assemblage of Mon kingdoms, the Dvaravati kingdom was one of the crown jewels of pre-Thai civilizations in Southeast Asia.

Much of what we know about Nakhon Pathom is due to the archeological campaigns of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, which are in turn chronicled in the “San Somdet,” his royal correspondence with Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs.

What follows is an exploration of Nakhon Pathom archeology through the words of the San Somdet and its eventual role in the birth of modern Thai museums....

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