Koh Ker

ប្រាសាទកោះកេរ្ដិ៍

Cambodia · Preah Vihear

Ancient cityIntermittent excavationUNESCO · 2023
Approximate period500 CE — 1,500 CEKhmer period; capital phase 921–944 See on the map ↓

In brief

Koh Ker is a Khmer city founded by Jayavarman IV that served as the capital between 921–944. Excavations and sculpture research at the Prasat Thom complex document the city's large-scale religious architecture and sculpture production.

What was found?

  • 1Fragments of the Dancing Shiva statue

    The monumental statue from the 10th century had toppled and broken into more than 10,000 fragments. Work led by EFEO brought the fragments back together and completed the statue's restoration.

  • 2Sanskrit and Khmer inscriptions

    The inscriptions at Prasat Thom provide information about the dedication of sacred images and dates of establishment. They allow the history of the structures to be interpreted alongside religious practices.

  • 3Prasat Thom and Prasat Prang

    The Prasat Thom temple complex culminates in the seven-tiered Prasat Prang pyramid. These remains provide tangible evidence of the capital's monumental architecture.

  • 4Rahal reservoir and water structures

    The rectangular Rahal reservoir, embankments, and other water structures are important components of the city. They document the capital's relationship with the natural terrain and its water regulation works.

What does it point to?

Koh Ker's giant statues and structures built with large stone blocks indicate a capital design that made the kingdom's power visible. According to researchers, the city's layout was shaped by adapting religious conceptions of the universe of Indian origin to local conditions.

What did it teach us?

  1. It showed that the Khmer political center was not confined to Angkor; Koh Ker was the sole capital between 928–944.
  2. It revealed the importance of monumental scale and dynamic sculptural expression in the Koh Ker style.
  3. It documented that sacred buildings and water systems were parts of the same urban design.

Images

04-Koh Ker-nX-14
PsamatheM · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Record

Culture
Khmer
Team / historical
French School of Asian Studies; Éric Bourdonneau
Coordinates
13.7831°, 104.5372°

Sources

  1. whc.unesco.org
  2. whc.unesco.org
  3. efeo.fr
  4. efeo.fr
  5. UNESCO — Koh Ker Dünya Mirası adaylık dosyası
  6. UNESCO — Koh Ker koruma ve yönetim planı

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