Kieow Suea Keh Pen Roop Suea, Tiger Tooth amulet of Luang Phor Parn

Among all the amulets in Thailand, Kieow Suea Keh Pen Roop Suea, or the Tiger Tooth amulet of Luang Phor Parn of Wat Bang Hia

. Kieow Suea Keh, is one of the most treasured. It is extremely rare and commands a high price. This is because these amulets were made more than a century ago, and the numbers have dwindled over the years. This is coupled with the fact that it was produced in very scarce quantities, to begin with. At its genesis, it was said that Luang Phor Parn sold them for a mere 1 baht each. Because it is so rare, the price has risen dramatically due to conflict and competition to own it. A hundred years ago, it had already risen to the princely sum of 6 baht each.

 

It was recorded by King Rama V, that the wicha of this amulet was so powerful that the amulet itself had once turned into a real tiger. (Refer to our article on Luang Phor Parn).

Artisans and Features of Amulet

Historical records state that 6 people were involved in the carving of these amulets. Each piece is unique; some have their mouths closed, some have their mouth open, some have eyes closed, others have their eyes open.

 

Another name for this amulet is Hoo Noo Ta LookDtau Kieow Prong Fah Yant Kor Yah Suea Na Meaw

(Hoo Noo – year of the Rat, Ta LookDtau – dotted eyes resembling the markings on dice, Kieow – teeth, Prong Fah – clear sky, Yant Kor Yah – the yant Luang Phor Parn embedded within, Suea Na Meaw – tiger resembling a cat). The full name reflects the likeness of the amulet. Because each amulet looks different, each name also embodies all the physical features of each amulet.

 

1. Hoo Noo – Ears resembling those of a rat,

2. Ta LookDtau – eyes have two dots (like a dice),

3. Kieow Prong Fah – the amulet has a hole from top to bottom,

4. Yant Kor Yah – is the yant written below the tiger.

5. Suea Na Meaw – the face looks like a cat.

 

There are 3 types of carvings:

1. Carved in Wat Bang Hia – the teeth are cut in half, and used to carve 2 amulets. The bottom half of the tooth will result in a small-sized amulet. The upper half will result in a more rounded shape.
2. Carved in Wat Klang Worawiharn
   – in Wat Klang Worawiharn, There was only one artisan involved in the carving, thus all pieces share similar features. The only variations are one lying down, the other sitting up.
3. Carved by the artisans around the temple. They were then brought to Luang Phor Parn for consecration. Some had open mouths, while others, closed.

To check for authenticity, check for Luang Phor’s yant at the base of the amulet. The entire amulet should dark brownish in colour due to their advanced age.

Consecration of the Amulet

When Luang Phor Parn pluksek the amulets, he recited the katha “Hua Jai Suea Krong”, read as “Phayak koh phayak kah soonya supti itti hum him heum

” This was meant to transfer auspiciousness to the amulet, as well as enable the amulet to come alive. Luang Phor placed the amulets in his alms bowl and recited the katha until they jumped out of the bowl. The bases of these pieces were then inscribed with “Yant Kor Yah” and “Yant Tua LerLeur” yants.

Because of insufficient space to inscribe the entire Yant Tua Sor Khad Sammathi

on the base of the small amulets, Luang Phor scribbled in circles for simplification, leading these yants to be referred to as “Yant Kor Yah”.

 

 

As a final step in the consecration, the temple required a pig as an offering. Luang Phor chanted katha over the amulets, and cast them into a forest with pieces of pork. Tigers would then leap onto the amulets, imbuing them with the visceral spiritual force of the tigers. We understand from the researched literature that the tiger that leapt out to consume the pork is a spiritual force that transformed into a visual form. When this happened, it meant that the consecration ceremony was successful.