The Lanna Animal Astrology Weights

            Apart from being used as a measuring tool in the opium trade, opium weights or “Peng” according to the Lanna, were valued as personal property. It has been a belief since ancient times that opium weight were holy objects with fetish power that could protect the owner from “Khued”- viciousness and misfortune. Therefore, opium weights were placed on a tray with pedestal and used in several sacred ceremonies. Among all types of weights, the 12-year cycle of animals referred to as the Lanna zodiac, were the most well known. The Lanna generally kept the weights in their pouches called “Tung Peng”, believing that the kind of animal must match up to pouch that with certain features.