Thailand is internationally acclaimed for its unique and creative interpretation of Theravada Buddhist art. The sacred beliefs of this 2,500 year-old religion are expressed through images that give meaning to gestures, postures, relics and revered objects. These didactic icons signify the Buddha's omnipresence and provide a visual framework for understanding his transcendent spirituality and his teachings. From the pre-Tai art of Dvaravato to the first Thai capital at Sukhotahia in the thirteenth century to Lan Na in the north and to the successive Thai kingdoms of Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin to the present, the iconic art of Thailand makes a continuous journey through periods, styles, materials, lunar festivals and contemporary art with the quintessential, timeless grace and beauty that are hallmarks of Thai artistic aesthetics.