Lvea

Also known as Phum Lovea, it was once the location of an ancient village dating to the Iron Age with occupation seemingly continuing till the present day. The circular nature of the site is most notable from an aerial view. Otherwise, there is little to recognise at ground level, although the monastery, Wat Lvea retains some traces of an Angkorian era temple from later times.

The Phum Lovea site is a significant archaeological location in Cambodia, specifically in the Puok District of Siem Reap Province. It is an Iron Age, moated settlement that has garnered attention due to its potential insights into the socio-political transformations that occurred in Southeast Asia prior to the rise of the Angkorian state.

Research Work at Phum Lovea

Phum Lovea is characterized by a low mound surrounded by two fragmented embankments separated by moats. The site measures approximately 210 meters from north to south and 312 meters from east to west. The outer embankment averages about 20 meters in width, and the moat varies between 50 and 70 meters in width. The inner moat, closer to the habitation mound, varies between 40 and 50 meters wide​ (O’Reilly, Shewan 2016).

Excavations at Phum Lovea took place from December 2011 to January 2012, as part of a project funded by the Australian Research Council. This research aimed to explore the emergence of complex societies in Southeast Asia, focusing on the period preceding the Angkorian state. The excavations revealed three main layers of occupation at the site including contemporary times, the Angkorian era, and pre-historic Iron Age (circa AD 100–500).

The research at Phum Lovea provided valuable insights into the early social complexity in the region. The presence of moats and embankments is seen as a possible indicator of increasing socio-political organization during the Iron Age. The site also offers evidence of long-distance trade, as indicated by the discovery of a bronze coin similar to those found in Vietnam, dated to the Xin dynasty (circa AD 9–23)​.

Phum Lovea, and many other pre-historic sites yet to be researched or maybe even discovered, are crucial site for understanding the social and political changes during the Iron Age, long before the well-known Angkorian era.

Reference

• Phum Lovea: A moated precursor to the pura of Cambodia? Sociopolitical transformation from Iron Age settlements to early state society – Dougald O’Reilly, Louise Shewan, 2016

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