Thailand / Siam: Bronze standing image of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Prakhon Chai, c. 750-850 CE

Prakhon Chai is a district (Amphoe) in the southern part of Buriram Province, northeastern Thailand. In 1964, artwork depicting Buddhist figures, including Avalokitesvara, was discovered in Prakhon Chai. Originating from the Pre-Angkor period, these figures reflect traditional Indian styles, as passed down through the Cambodian tradition of the Chenla Kingdom. Avalokite_vara ('Lord who looks down') is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. Portrayed in different cultures as either male or female, Avalokite_vara is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism, as well as unofficially in Theravada Buddhism. (Photo by: Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)