Wat Boeng (Balang)

Location of a contemporary monastery and pagoda that is also the location of an ancient site known as Prasat Samroang Preah Theat or Tuol Balang. The site features a new pagoda and an older wooden vihara/pagoda. The olden wooden vihara is perhaps not as old as it looks, but its foundations may well date to the post-Angkorian era of the 14-19th century. The original location of the ancient site is reported as being 300m to the west of the pagoda originally a brick temple noting historical reports of what remained in the early 1900s.

Boundary markers from the ancient site (and perhaps the general area) can be seen in front of the wooden vihara/pagoda.

A second smaller shelter contains a smaller boundary marker, pedestal, window column, plus sema stones and a seated Buddha possibly from the post-Angkor era. Similar boundary markers were discovered at a site in the same village to the north, Preah Theat.

Historical Notes

Prasat Prah Theat. This sanctuary, located towards the south of Thbeng, in the middle of a group of Cambodian population distributed between the hamlets of Prah Theat and Da, is not more than a formless heap of bricks, from which emerge the two uprights of a door which opened to the east. People from neighboring hamlets gather, on certain days, around these vestiges, which are covered with artificial flowers and ex-votos made of leaves and dried flowers. AYMONIER, Cambodge, I, 383.

Inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge, E. Lunet de Lajonquière, 1902

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap - Contact via [email protected] - more..