Shoulder blanket and baby carrier (Phaa tuum)

King Fa Ngum founded the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang in 1353 and introduced Theravada Buddhism. At a certain point he was exiled to Angkor but later with the support from the Khmer monarch, ascended to the throne and took a Khmer princess as his wife. Marital and political alliances between ruling dynasties of the region’s kingdoms led to shared governance, religious practices, and art. The model of Theravada Buddhism practised in Lan Xang had many traits in common with the kingdoms of Sukhothai and Lanna. Later, in the 15^th century, Ayutthaya aesthetics influenced Lao Buddhist art, as it is the case of the present.