Cham Temple of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay

Also known as Prasat O Chheu Teal Thom or Prasat O ChoTal Thom. It is a large sandstone temple located on the western side of Preah Khan (of Kampong Svay). Its layout is somewhat unique. It featured an outer laterite wall with an east and west gopura, enclosing a cruciform central shrine that had a square-shaped forebody extending its eastern entrance to meet with the east gopura. In the southeast corner, a small west-facing “library”. All most certainly never having been completed with the only decorative carving seen being a lintel with five niches depicting what may have been seated Buddhas. Historical notes mention the discovery of a pedestal and a headless Buddha statuette.

In late 2021, it is overgrown and the road to the site (around the southern side of the complex) is near impassable, which is all likely to improve in the drier months.

Update 12/22 – on revisiting the site, here are some new photos, including one of the only lintels seen in situ at the site, which is on the eastern side above the door to the central chamber. This time around it was possible to follow the trail from here, albeit it’s still a pretty rough farm tractor trail, around to the other sites on the western side of the main temple complex and even from PKKS through to Khvav.

Update 2025

We returned to this site in Feb 2025, and the trail was improved immensely. At the time, it was smooth going all the way. The temple had also recently been cleared by authorities.

Historical Notes

Prasat near the west gate of Prah Khan – 1200 meters from the point which gives access to the west gate of Prah Khan are the ruins of a small monument formed of a series of rooms and cells, followed by a tower and a cross-shaped room, which extends on the same east-west axis. The thickness of the walls, the narrow windows suggest a cloister. The enclosure is formed by a pure-limonite, measuring approximately 30 meters on the east-west faces, and 15 meters on the north-south faces. The faces and openings do not present any sculptures. In the sanctuary tower, there is only a statue base and a headless Buddha statuette. A short distance away at west is a collapsed limonite tower. Communication from Mr. G. Morand.

Lajonquiere, 1901

Pràsàt Ó Chơ Tãl Thom. – This shrine is located almost exactly on the general axis of Prah Khằn, 200 m. about the West gopura.

Although it is entirely made of sandstone (except for the enclosure wall), the builders left it in a state of disrepair, except for a few profiles of the foundations. Its state of ruin is very advanced; some parts are almost illegible, notably the space between the eastern gopura and the cruciform room.

It is worth noting the very particular shape of the eastern gopura. The plan that I give here is reproduced from the survey of Mr. PARMENTIER. I have not personally checked any dimensions, but the impression that emerges from the ruin is indeed that of the sketch.

Henri Mauger, BEFEO, 1939

Rodney Charles LHuillier

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..