The Ayutthaya Empire (1351–1767) in Thailand, or Siam as it was called until 1939, was a resplendent Buddhist kingdom filled with rich palaces and temples with luxurious, often colossal images of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. This over-life-sized stone head was likely originally set on a seated image of the Buddha made of brick covered with stucco, gilding, and possibly adorned with jewels. The entire figure would have been around fifteen feet high, plus a high lotus base. These impressive images were meant to awe and inspire the devotees who came to the temples to venerate the Buddha. Comparable Ayutthaya Buddha heads are published in Reginald Le May, A Concise History of Buddhist Art in Siam (Cambridge: University Press, 1939), pp. 142-143, Figs. 186-189.