Chamteav Temple

Located 4km northeast of Wat Tbaeng and 6km or so west of Phnom Kulen, the site features the remains of a late 10th to mid-11th-century brick temple. The site is somewhat special in that it has a person living on site as an ascetic, which is wonderful to encounter. There are a few places, but not many.

The remnants of the temple are collected on its eastern side, inside its still visible and substantial moat (dry). Those remnants include a decorative lintel, colonette fragments, a lotus petal frieze, a pedestal, a pesani, a Naga final, and numerous brick fragments. Some pieces have had additional carving in recent times; note the first two pictures below. There are also several contemporary statues and sculptures complementing the local reverence.

The lintel is interesting, with an unusual central idol featuring a beautiful hair bun that was in vogue during the suggested time period. I can only make a guess that it may be a seated Avalokiteshvara rising on a lotus and maybe holding two lotus buds.

Locals pointed us to this site, which they often visit apparently, and the on-site resident prepares daily offerings for spirits of the site, as seen in the last picture in the set above.

Considering the reverence of the site, we chose not to wander around the woods and left our prayers and offerings with the site’s wonderful keeper.

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..