Phra Somdej Amulet (SD-04)
Name: Phra Somdej Amulet
Period: Rattanakosin
Origin: Bangkok, Thailand
Age: 19th century
Dimensions (in mm): Width - 25, Height - 37, Depth - 5
Renown for: Universal Well Being
Background: The most important amulet in the Rattanakosin Period is the “Phra Somdej” Amulet (The top amulet in Thailand) Phra Somdej is named after the maker and conductor for their crafting, Somdej Phra Putacharn Toh Bramarangsi. The word Somdej is a highly respected royal honorific title added before the King’s, royal family’s, and also certain highly respected Patriarch’s names.
Phra Somdej Amulets
The Phra Somdej Amulets he made in the very beginning were simple and rustic, as he used materials that were easily found in his humble surroundings at and around the temple. Items such as dried cooked rice powder, bananas, ash from prayer incense, petals and pollens from worship flowers, and other simple things mixed with sugar cane as a binding agent. The craftsmen from the villages soon volunteered to make finer amulet molds for him. During his early years Phra Somdej Toh would give these amulets with his blessings as gifts to the faithful parishioners who gave him food, as well as those who made merit and done good and helpful deeds around the temple.
Colors and styles
Phra Somdej Amulets come in many different prints and colors. While there are variations of each we can narrow the colors down to the following 14+ hues and shades; White, Creamy Brown, Brownish Green, Black, Dark Grey, Condensed Milk White (Ivory), Earth (Brown), Reddish Cream, Grey, Dark Brown, Greenish Grey, Ochre, and the 5 special color mixes in the Benjarong series.
What they’re made of
The materials used in Somdej Toh Amulets come in many varieties, and have been composed of hundreds of different materials. While this dosen’t mean that each batch contains all materials, but rather each started with a main base of plaster with a mixture of materials from the following list. The availability of modern high definition lenses capable of 1000x magnification has lead to new discoveries about the contents of original amulets, and is useful aid in our certification process. For a list of the different materials used and more details please check out the Rattanakosin Period page. There you will find a comprehensive list of all the materials known to be used in Phra Somdej Amulets, their history, and most importantly a brief introduction to the amazing monk Phra Somdej Toh, who started them.
Name: Phra Somdej Amulet
Period: Rattanakosin
Origin: Bangkok, Thailand
Age: 19th century
Dimensions (in mm): Width - 25, Height - 37, Depth - 5
Renown for: Universal Well Being
Background: The most important amulet in the Rattanakosin Period is the “Phra Somdej” Amulet (The top amulet in Thailand) Phra Somdej is named after the maker and conductor for their crafting, Somdej Phra Putacharn Toh Bramarangsi. The word Somdej is a highly respected royal honorific title added before the King’s, royal family’s, and also certain highly respected Patriarch’s names.
Phra Somdej Amulets
The Phra Somdej Amulets he made in the very beginning were simple and rustic, as he used materials that were easily found in his humble surroundings at and around the temple. Items such as dried cooked rice powder, bananas, ash from prayer incense, petals and pollens from worship flowers, and other simple things mixed with sugar cane as a binding agent. The craftsmen from the villages soon volunteered to make finer amulet molds for him. During his early years Phra Somdej Toh would give these amulets with his blessings as gifts to the faithful parishioners who gave him food, as well as those who made merit and done good and helpful deeds around the temple.
Colors and styles
Phra Somdej Amulets come in many different prints and colors. While there are variations of each we can narrow the colors down to the following 14+ hues and shades; White, Creamy Brown, Brownish Green, Black, Dark Grey, Condensed Milk White (Ivory), Earth (Brown), Reddish Cream, Grey, Dark Brown, Greenish Grey, Ochre, and the 5 special color mixes in the Benjarong series.
What they’re made of
The materials used in Somdej Toh Amulets come in many varieties, and have been composed of hundreds of different materials. While this dosen’t mean that each batch contains all materials, but rather each started with a main base of plaster with a mixture of materials from the following list. The availability of modern high definition lenses capable of 1000x magnification has lead to new discoveries about the contents of original amulets, and is useful aid in our certification process. For a list of the different materials used and more details please check out the Rattanakosin Period page. There you will find a comprehensive list of all the materials known to be used in Phra Somdej Amulets, their history, and most importantly a brief introduction to the amazing monk Phra Somdej Toh, who started them.
Name: Phra Somdej Amulet
Period: Rattanakosin
Origin: Bangkok, Thailand
Age: 19th century
Dimensions (in mm): Width - 25, Height - 37, Depth - 5
Renown for: Universal Well Being
Background: The most important amulet in the Rattanakosin Period is the “Phra Somdej” Amulet (The top amulet in Thailand) Phra Somdej is named after the maker and conductor for their crafting, Somdej Phra Putacharn Toh Bramarangsi. The word Somdej is a highly respected royal honorific title added before the King’s, royal family’s, and also certain highly respected Patriarch’s names.
Phra Somdej Amulets
The Phra Somdej Amulets he made in the very beginning were simple and rustic, as he used materials that were easily found in his humble surroundings at and around the temple. Items such as dried cooked rice powder, bananas, ash from prayer incense, petals and pollens from worship flowers, and other simple things mixed with sugar cane as a binding agent. The craftsmen from the villages soon volunteered to make finer amulet molds for him. During his early years Phra Somdej Toh would give these amulets with his blessings as gifts to the faithful parishioners who gave him food, as well as those who made merit and done good and helpful deeds around the temple.
Colors and styles
Phra Somdej Amulets come in many different prints and colors. While there are variations of each we can narrow the colors down to the following 14+ hues and shades; White, Creamy Brown, Brownish Green, Black, Dark Grey, Condensed Milk White (Ivory), Earth (Brown), Reddish Cream, Grey, Dark Brown, Greenish Grey, Ochre, and the 5 special color mixes in the Benjarong series.
What they’re made of
The materials used in Somdej Toh Amulets come in many varieties, and have been composed of hundreds of different materials. While this dosen’t mean that each batch contains all materials, but rather each started with a main base of plaster with a mixture of materials from the following list. The availability of modern high definition lenses capable of 1000x magnification has lead to new discoveries about the contents of original amulets, and is useful aid in our certification process. For a list of the different materials used and more details please check out the Rattanakosin Period page. There you will find a comprehensive list of all the materials known to be used in Phra Somdej Amulets, their history, and most importantly a brief introduction to the amazing monk Phra Somdej Toh, who started them.