OF SIAM. 253 



" the prince, and to bless the kingdom which he was about to rule. The 

 " tablet being then laid down, the astrologer took a leaf of the betel vine, 

 " and held it over the flame of one of the tapers, which he also extinguished 

 " with it. 



" With this blackened leaf he made nine mystic marks* on the forehead 

 " of the prince. And now appeared the Phra malm mongkoot or tiara, 

 " which was brought forth supported on a golden staff!" 



Of this tiara a drawing is exhibited in the drawing of the divine 

 foot already before the Royal Asiatic Society. Its pyramidal shape is 

 in allusion to the Oonnaheet SancJia of the Sali, the tiara of Sooddjia, and 

 may probably be typical of the solar ray ; for it has been stated by Maurice 

 that the same shape was retained in the Persian diadem, and in the 

 Phrygian bonnet, which adorned the statues of Mithra, and that the Druids 

 (who were followers of the elder Booddjia) wore a similarly formed cap. 



His Siamese majesty wears his crown only on occasions of very 

 particular ceremony. 



" The chief astrologer, (he is frequently a Brahman) next approached 

 " the crown and made to it three several obeisances." 



These are thus performed. The person rests on his knees, joins his 

 open hands, and raises them until the tips of his fingers are on a level with 

 his forehead, and then, without removing them from that position, bows his 

 head to within about two inches of the ground. 



" When the prince had been crowned by the astrologer, he took the 

 " son pJiraMian or bow and sword of state in his right hand, and seating 

 " himself in his palankeen {bootsabok) was conveyed amidst the astounding 

 " chorus of all manner of musical instruments to the hall where the throne 

 " rested, shaded by the sekkachat or seven-tiered umbrella. The Bali 

 ''formid(S ordained to be read on such solemn occasions were duly 

 " attended to." 



* Typical of the nine evacuatory organs of Boodd,ha. 

 c 



