While fish designs have been used throughout Thailand at all the major kiln sites the 2 fish design representative of the yin and yang is found only at the Sankampaeng kiln sites. In Sukhothai the common design is with a single fish placed in the center of the plate with floral designs surrounding it. In Sri Satchanalai the outer rim was some times decorated with smaller fish. At that time Thai people were not big meat eaters because of there Buddhist restrictions on killing, and what little meat they did eat was probably fish.

Most fish designs occur on plates. Occasionally fish will appear on bottles, but not as the main motif as background decoration only.

One old Chinese lady told of a time when she was young and her mother used to serve them clear soup broth from a bowl with a fish painted on the bottom to give them the illusion of eating a soup with food in it.

Most plates were probably made for burial furniture as the Thai people of that time did not have a culture of eating off of plates. [they ate directly from the serving dishes or off of banana leaves and the like.] The Thai were the major producers of fish design plates, but some painted fish plates were found of Vietnamese origin, and occasionally fish will turn up as a motif in Chinese decoration.

Shaw is of the opinion that Thai high fire glazed ceramics originated in the North specifically at the kiln sites in Phayo. [Shaw is a collector and author of Northern Thai Ceramics] However, he freely admits that Don Hein an expert on Sukhothai wares postulates that high fired ceramics started in Sukhothai. Regardless the fish motif probably originated and gained popularity in the North. [stylistic comparison also seems to point to the confirmation of this.]

*****from Ray Hearn

ray was helpful in getting me more focused on the types of motifs available to concentrate on. i learned from him about the fish motif used at multiple kiln sites. fish represent strength and agility as they are able the swim up stream against strong current. they also signify abundance, plenty and the basic necessities of life being one of the most staple foods along with rice. when the fish are painted two together laying head to tail they stand as a symbol of the yin and yang, representing the duality of existence. fish are a common symbol appearing on plates vases and bowls.

*****from Mao June 10,1999

Mao added that fish in Thai culture are traditionally seen as a symbol of prosperity, and confirmed that the two fish design, representative of the yin and yang, originated in the North. She, however, felt that they originated at the Sankampaeng kiln sites.