This tile depicts the head of the mythical creature known as makara in the Hindu Buddhist tradition, spewing forth three naga. It would have been modelled and painted with underglaze iron-brown outlines on a creamy-white glaze before being fired at a high temperature. This piece shows influence from the Indian tradition as it was adapted in the Hindu Buddhist iconographic style of Southeast Asia. They are high fired stonewares that were made to be durable for use within the architecture at the royal capitals Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai in north-central Thailand, the two most important centres for ceramic production during the 14th to 16th centuries.
