Chheu Teal Phliet Temple

Located on the eastern side of Preah Vihear province, around 20km west of the Laos border and 11km northwest of the village of Robonh, Prasat Chheu Teal Phliet is the ruins of a sandstone temple. It is a sing shrine, with a sandstone body that featured a brick superstructure, none of which is in situ but can be seen sprawled among the remains. Quite unusually, it opens to the northeast, with false doors set into the sandstone of the other three sides which would have all once featured ornate pilasters with floral scrolls, and decorated octagonal door columns topped by a lintel and frieze of characters.

The lintels and frieze are still intact above the north and west doors albeit very decayed. Above the north door, a horseman can be made out in the top left corner of the lintel which is topped by a separate piece that features a frieze of characters in niches, orants or worshippers, flanking a central idol that’s too decayed to recognize (for me anyway). The frieze above the western door appears to be simply a row of worshippers.

Remnants extend out from the entrance to the site including a pedestal and laterite blocks that may have been the base of a gopura or terrace. A little further north is a small basin.

Locals have built a rest hut there and apparently many people from the local area go to visit the temple which is nice to see, albeit the trail is less than an easy one as of 03/23, but we are in Preah Vihear, they are all pioneers out this way.

We went looking for this site in early Feb 23, but were unable to find any locals who knew of the site, or a trail leading into the site that is within a large uncleared area. We chose to play it safe and wait for better info. Glad we did. In March 23 we were back in the area and did find the trail and were also lucky enough to meet its caretaker who guided us to the site. This was fortunate as it’s an active mine clearance area with people working in the surrounds every day to clear mines.

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..