Phnom Banteay Temple

Located along the ancient Royal Road that leads from Beng Mealea to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Phnom Bantheay (as Google labels it) is located atop one of the hills that flank this ancient road on the Khvav-Preah Khan section.

The site features an outer laterite wall with bell capping, opening to the east with a gopura. The gopura was intended to be quite grand, featuring a large chamber for the main entrance flanked by two chambered side entrances. Also, this eastern wall of the site is a little interesting, it’s galleried for its entire length but open with grand columns on part of its inner wall on either side of the gopura. The other three sides of the wall are not galleried.

Inside, there is a small library, constructed of laterite and opening to the west that likely would have supported a brick superstructure.

The single square shrine is built of brick with a laterite forebody extending its eastern entrance that also provides side entrances. There are little or no decorated fragments to help construct a better idea of its era. Some of the door columns still in situ appear undecorated indicating the site may have never been completed.

It is a little similar to other temples in the area that are classified as Temple D’etape by early French researchers that are believed to have served as resthouses or stopover lodges. This site differs somewhat in that, one, it’s located atop a hill and the others mostly have terraces or paths joining with the ancient road, also, this site is from an earlier time period based on construction methods, so one could wonder if it was an early version of that use type. Perhaps clearance and excavation will reveal more.

It’s also worth noting that no traces of a staircase are seen so, one could again wonder, was it a funerary temple left incomplete? Mysteries abound.

The site is heavily overgrown, making a clear photo that translates the nature of the site quite difficult, I’ll label the photos to help out.

360 at entrance gopura

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..