It is a large square sandstone temple, 11m per side atop a decorated sandstone base, that houses a massive pedestal and linga. It is fronted also by a large laterite and sandstone terrace/pavilion. On the northern side of the shrine, you can see a water spout that would have emitted the sacred water after it had passed over the linga inside. The massive linga and pedestal are quite ruinous but you can still see some of the very interesting foliage decoration on parts of the pedestal. Signposted today as Linga IV, it was recorded by the French as Monument G (or temple G/Prasat G).
The square shrine, monolithic in scale, shares a similar layout and likely its purpose with 3 more that are aligned on a north-south axis whilst having a relationship with the east-west axis of Prasat Thom. This particular iteration of the Linga temples differs substantially from Linga Temple 1 and 2 by featuring remnants of a cruciform-shaped structure to its west with steps leading down what was a reservoir connected with the northeast end of the Rohal.
Historical Notes
Translated from French – in Henri Parmentier’s incredible notes from 1939 he describes the five linga temples, what would be known at that time as temples G, H, I, and K (inventoried as 278 through to 281). Linga temple IV as we are focussed on, is noted as Pr. G (278).
These various prasat, whose names Lajonquiere did not know, are grouped in a row N.-S. parallel to the inclined axis of the Rahal and generally open facing this extended axis, except the last, K, which is turned in the other direction. In reality, only Pr. G (278) has no name, or better, it is included under the same name as Pr. Andon Kuk (277). Pr. H (279) is called, from the ruin of a light building neighbor that consists of the linga and the pedestal (279.2), Pr. Balan; the next, Pr. I (280) received a tree name: Pr. Thnen. Finally, the last, K (281), turned in the opposite direction, is called Pr. Trapan Rosei.
These are enormous sandstone towers, sometimes preceded by gopura of laterite and sandstone with roofs, opening up enclosures of panels which have disappeared. 34 stonework ceases at the cornice of the lower body towers (G. fg B – K. fg 5) are redented square, with false doors and door their walls are roughly mounted in blocks of sandstone of common dimensions, we are faced on the outside and which are not always so on the inside (K) They pose on foundations appear finely chiseled.
These towers enclose huge linga on considerable pedestals; idol and support seem monolithic and taken in natural blocks. The spout of the tank penetrates more or less into the N wall; only one of these linga has disappeared, that from K. The floor of these cells is at a considerable depth: .7m below the threshold in K, while in I, the median strip of the powerful pedestal reaches the level of the seat which carries the threshold. The door frame, with very wide uprights in depth, is mitered. The true lintel is huge: pierced with trunnion holes, it comes in line with the interior wall and is relieved by a corbelled arch in sandstone by normal courses. These pedestals leave only a weak circulation inside, still cut off to the north by the entrance to the tank spout in the wall. The respective dimensions for the width of the pedestal, that of the room and the circulation are:
Inside, in the wall above the spout of the tank in 6 and more Visible in H. are two stones superimposed vertically in slight protrusion: I don’t know its role. Outside, apart from the bases, the door, alone, offers a beginning of decoration; still it is because it is necessary for the assembly. The bare frame has the trailing moldings required for the installation of the columns. These are huge, octagonal, the little that remains in prasát I indicates them with bead rods in the nudes. It is likely that they had to be prepared in the workshop and mounted all chiseled. Apart from these columns, everything is barely sketched out. This general lack of completion contrasts with the finish and detail of the foundations (pl. XVI c’). They are presented in thin lotus profiles enclosing a bare vertical part. They turn over to form the eciphers on each axis In Pr. K 281, one of the eciphers of the basement steps is one whose front face is a rich pattern of very elegant volutes (engraving E du perron S. only preserved).
Above and under the masonry of the tower reigns a sideboard with a lotus (Pr. I). No less rich are the pedestals of the linga. They are of the ordinary coved profile enclosing a double flat band; but their whole surface is covered with fine decorations and they are adorned with lions posed in atlantes, 12 in G, 8 in the others, a happy arrangement which places one under the spout of the tank.
Only towers K and G are still preceded by gopura; that of G. more important, is unfortunately too ruined to be able to be usefully studied; it seems to repeat the arrangement of that of K, except that the porticoes would be replaced by vestibules with solid walls
K’s gopura is clear and easily reveals its dispositions after a little study (fg 6). This building has its transverse base about fifty meters from the door of the sanctuary. A large cross-shaped room, with laterite walls, opens to the West and to the East through a door with a decorative composition, which is sheltered under a wide portico with sandstone pillars in two spans in the ordinary set combination. The N. and S. wings have on the exterior windows with 5 heavy balusters These arms are extended by two lower wings which form the true passages; they are pierced by two single-framed doors facing each other near the gable end of the cross-shaped building and a new window on the outside. Door and window have their true lintels at the same height The triangular gables that supported the roof are partly preserved and the South outer gable even kept its butt on its East side. These gables are enormously thick. That of the N. wing was to receive only one course of purlins, either in towers pieces of wood of strong section Above the laterite walls runs a sandstone course on which had to install the cornices. All of this remained in limbo. except door posts and window balusters chiseled or turned in the workshop.
Between G and H, 80 m. south of H and 300 m. about to the north of G. is a formidable pedestal, broken and overturned, which carried a large triple-sectioned linga and enclosed a cube with 17 cells, of .8m a side. The absence of any remains around clearly shows that this linga must have been sheltered by a light construction (279.2). NE of K is a tiny brick terrace with the remains of a large pedestal (280.2).
The linga of these various points are considerable, they are cylindrical with the top rounded in a hemisphere. One (I) presents the fillet with the double line which widens downwards and indicates the foreskin. That of H is detached from the tank by an octagon and carries a horizontal net a little higher. That of 279.2 is triple section; it is 2.35m tall overall; that of G, for the linga proper, is 1.45m high against a diameter of 1.14m; that of H. 1.25m and 1.05m; that of I is a little smaller (cf. fig. 185, p. 370 of I,K).
It is almost certain that we do not have these buildings in their first state, and that the basement with the fine profiles so finished supported a light construction, whose lesser thickness allowed a normal circulation. The tower G is 11m, aside for a void of 6.28m where the pedestal occupies 4.32m. A light construction of .40m thick would have left a more normal circulation and more in keeping with the masonry monuments and the pedestals they enclose. This circulation would have been 2.94m against .98m offered by the current one and would not have obliged to drown the tip of the spout of the ablution tank in the N wall, stopping all pradaksina.
The N. gable of the gopura of prasat G reveals the excessive size of the sandstone blocks used in its construction and that of the walls which carried the roof. In addition to the unknown thickness of the crawling and which can be evaluated, according to others, at 0.25m, these blocks measure .8om or in all, for the exchanges, I.05m. The tip was received in a 30/30 hole with a depth of .21m.
L’Art khmèr classique , monuments du quadrant Nord-Est, Henri Parmentier, 1939
Aslo See
Map
*Important: mapped location may only be approximated to the district level/village only. To visit sites outside the tourist zones you should seek a local guide from the area read more.
Site Info
Site Name: Linga Temple 4 Khmer Name: បា្រសាទអណ្តូងគុក
Reference ID: HA12139 | Posted: May 22, 2021 | Last Update: November 13th, 2021
Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap. Rodney Charles L'Huillier has spent over seven years in Cambodia and is the author of Ancient Cambodia (2024) and Essential Siem Reap (2017, 2019). Contact via [email protected] - more..
