The lomphok (Thai: ลอมพอก, pronounced [lɔ̄m.pʰɔ̂ːk]; literally, "piled up layered ") is a ceremonial headgear of Thailand, historically worn by royalty and nobility. It is a tall pointed hat, made of white cloth wrapped around a bamboo frame. The lomphok is believed to have been adapted from the turbans of Safavid-dynasty Persia during the Ayutthaya period, and its use is extensively documented by European writers who came into contact with Siam during the reign of King Narai. In particular, its use by Kosa Pan and the other diplomats of the embassy to the court of Louis XIV in 1686 became a sensation in French society. Today, the lomphok can be seen worn by officials in the Royal Ploughing Ceremony and royal funeral processions.
Gallery
-
Kosa Pan wearing lomphok, 1686
-
Claude de Forbin wearing Ayutthayan mandarin dress with lomphok
-
Ayutthayan diplomats wearing lomphok in Versailles, 1686
-
Siamese embassadors wearing lomphok, 1686
-
Funeral officials wearing lomphok escorting Bhumibol Adulyadej's urn, October 2017
-
Similar headdress in Cambodia
References
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Siamese Hat of Rank and Case (Lompok)". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- Wattanasukchai, Sirinya (5 September 2012). "Hat trick&beyond". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- Benson, Sarah (2011). "European Wonders at the Court of Siam". In Bleichmar, Daniela; Mancall, Peter C. (eds.). Collecting across cultures material exchanges in the early modern Atlantic world. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 160. ISBN 9780812204964.