Wat Khrutharam, or the Monastery of the Garuda (1), is located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya, in Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district. The temple is situated on the east bank of Khlong Sra Bua (2) in a locality called Thung Kaeo (3) and can be accessed by the road running parallel with Khlong Hua Ro (4). Wat Bua stood opposite the Sra Bua canal, and Wat Ngiu was north of Wat Khrutharam, along the bank of Khlong Hua Ro. Originally the temple was called Wat Khrut. (5)
Wat Khrut stood in the centre of a community whose primary occupation was to mould large storage jars mainly for water called Nang Loeng (นางเลิ้ง) or free translated "large ladies". [3] After moulding, the pots were dried and fired following open bonfire techniques. Excavations concerning ceramic production in this area were undertaken by the Fine Arts Department from 2000-to 2002.
The primary purpose of these water jars we can find back in de La Loubère's Historical Relation: "For when the waters retire, and they are filled with mud, and perhaps with the ill juices which they take from the earth, or when the river is re-entered into its channel sufficiently muddy, they are more corrosive, do cause concerning and lasks, and cannot be drunk without danger, till they have them stand in great jars or pitchers, the space of three weeks or a month." [4]