Preah Khan of Kampong Svay – A Remote Wonder of the Ancient Khmer Empire

Located almost 100 km directly east of Angkor Wat in the southwest corner of Preah Vihear Province, Preah Khan of Kampong Svay is a vast complex of sandstone and laterite constructions dating primarily from the 9th to 13th century with the majority of the site’s development attributed to Suryavarman II (reign c. 1113 AD to 1145/1150 AD) and later Jayavarman VII (reign 1181 AD to 1218 AD) while also featuring activity in the post-Angkorian era (15th – 18th century).

Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, often simply referred to as Bakan, covers a massive area with its outermost enclosure measuring almost 5km per side with temples and archaeological remains extending beyond that area. It was to be the largest enclosure created during the Khmer Empire. For visitors to the site today there are 8 cleared temple highlights, for the more adventurous there are 4 more on the western side, whilst archeologists have recorded some 90 sites of significance in the area.

Speaking of those eight alone, they are situated along the east-west axis of the site over 4km and I’ll introduce those and then focus on the temple proper. All of these are accessible off a main axis road that runs from east to west along the southern side of the baray, crossing the fourth enclosure (earthen), then north to Preah Stung temple, and then west again to the main gate of the temple proper.

The small village of Ta Seng at the southeastern corner of the site provides the access point for entering the archeological complex of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay from where you head north to the main entry, following that east until you meet the eastern end of the baray. It’s here you will find the site of Preah Damrei, a wonderous sandstone enclosure featuring a laterite pyramidic structure noted for its wonderful elephant sculptures.

Continuing west, along the axis road at the southern edge of the baray, also known as Trapeang Pradac, a trail that heads north and leads to Preah Thkol, or Mebon Temple. You’ll need to find your way around the north side of the site by foot, or otherwise wade through some water to reach the site which is one the highlights of the area if not a highlight of the Khmer empire.

Back to the axis road, and continuing west, you’ll find the officer’s huts, and at the southwestern end of the baray is Preah Chatomukh, a giant four-sided standing Buddha that is yet another of the complex’s highlights and wonders of the empire. Continuing north, there is Preah Stoeng (or Preah Stung), a sandstone temple whose central shrine rises up with four smiling faces akin to that of Angkor Thom and the Bayon. On the eastern side of this site, there is a grand terrace featuring stunning carvings of tri-headed Hamsa.

Back to the axis road, and heading west, you reach the eastern entrance of Preah Khan temple, the Bakan. The site is surrounded by a large moat with a grand causeway lined on either side once again with stunning carvings of Hamsa and topped by a Naga baluster leading to the third enclosure and the eastern entrance gopura. The enclosure is a six-meter tall wall constructed of laterite entered by a gopura (entrance gate) that features a tall sandstone tower flanked by two smaller towers, all having once featuring forebodies extending their eastern entrance, and all joined by a windowed gallery. This causeway and gopura are repeated on the north, west, and southern sides.

Through the gopura and continuing west, on the north side of the causeway is Prasat Kuk, a “firehouse” or Dharmasala whilst on the south side is Prasat Kat Kdei, which is notable for having held an important inscribed stele registered under K. 161 that’s dated to 1061 AD.

Continuing west, now meeting the ruins of another grand terrace and causeway that leads to the second enclosure, galleried and built of sandstone, and grand eastern entrance. This entrance gopura features a central tower with an entrance flanked on either side by two lesser towers and then another lesser entrance, in total making for 7 entrances through the easter side of the enclosure. On the north side of the enclosure, it is a single entrance, likewise of the south, while the western side offers a triple entrance tower arrangement. All of the gopuras are quite ruinous.

Continuing west through the main entry tower of the east gopura, the single causeway is flanked on either side by two small shrines, quite detailed, and over to the north are a group of four laterite towers, they are mostly standing and featuring a high quality of workmanship noting the molding around the eaves and the formation of the towers upper tiers.

Continuing along the causeway, it meets the remains of a truly grand terrace, perhaps too ruinous to recognize, but in places, you can see just how incredible it was in its day, featuring standing lions carved into its outer face akin to the terraces of the Royal Palace at Angkor Thom.

Continuing west along the remains of this grand terrace, the site is quite ruinous and a little difficult to navigate. There’s a cruciform gopura then 2 small shrines on either side of the causeway which are unique from each other, the artwork on these is also quite fascinating. This is followed by the first enclosure, built of sandstone with large gopura, and lesser gopura on the south, west, and north sides. I say lesser, only for the fact they are/were single entry it seems, while on the eastern side, it appears to offer three entrances. They are quite ornate featuring an array of Buddhist iconography.

Flanking the causeway on either side is what would have been two libraries and straight ahead are the remains of the central shrine. At first, the four gopura and central shrine appear quite ruinous, but if you wait, an enormous array of beautiful art from distinctly different eras will find you.

The central shrine, has mostly collapsed, moreover, it has suffered heavily in times gone by, not only by looters in decades past according to reports but also noting Lajonquire’s notes from the early 1900s in relation to the Buddhist iconography of the site

“More than 200 figures of deities of this cult were also removed with chisels from the walls of the galleries and the pediments of the aedicules.”.

Historical notes attest to the central sanctuary having traces of once having been internally and externally gilded with bronze plate. Like all of Preah Khan, it has some fascinatingly unique qualities that suggest it was certainly something quite special. When reflecting on the four gopuras that surround it, and what we are presented with at Preah Stung and Preah Thkol, one can start to imagine what an incredible wonder it must have been.

I am in no doubt that future archaeological research has a lot to reveal and the use of technology will lead to new restitutions.

Around the extremities of the 2nd and 3rd enclosures

Contemporary Archeological Research at Preah Khan

In 2015, Mitch Hendrickson from the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA, and Damian Evans from the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia published new research providing the first comprehensive archaeological map of the site, expanding on previous works including; that by Goloubew and notably Henri Mauger in the mid-1900s, later works by B.P Goslier and Stern who deciphered much of the art styles at the site also recognising it as an important staging post for king Jayavarman VII, and the work of Jacques relating to iron production at the site and possible ethnohistory. Their project not only provided the archeological maps but helped to understand the significance of the site as a hub for iron production, also providing deeper insights into water management. Moreover, while noting there were possibly earlier and even later period activity, they had accumulated evidence for activity in the early-mid-11th century, increased activity in the early 12th and then again later that century, along with occupation and industrial activity until at least the 17th century.

Inscriptions

• K. 970 – Coedes 1951, p. 107
• K. 1019 – Stele fragment – Jacques 1969, p. 72

Historical Images

Layout Maps – produced 1967 via EFEO

Historical Images

Historical Notes

Preah Khan of Kampong Svay was first documented in the 19th century during expeditions by the French, including Delaporte, Moura, Tissandier, and Doudart de Lagrée.

In Croizier’s notes published in 1875, he documents an industrial-scale extraction of art and statuary from area, employing over 100 locals with ox-carts and even creating rafts to carry away items much of which reside in the Guimet Museum of France till this day.

In Delaporte’s notes, he provides important insights into the location of various remnants, an inscription, and for example, the location of the stunning and rare standing lion now on display in the Guimet Museum of France

He continues, describing the location of various Buddhist works

Continuing to make our way through the rubble, we notice successively the remains of Buddhist statues, still beautiful in their dreadful state of mutilation, steles so finely sculpted that, were it not for the attributes which adorn them, one would be slow to take them for works of the Italian Renaissance; finally, in two aedicules less degraded than the others, a number of small Brahman-Buddhist trinities piled up in the middle of coarser figurines and various notable pieces.

Getting to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay

You can reach here from Stoung in Kampong Thom Province taking by taking the sealed road that leads north off the RN 6 directly straight to the village of Ta Seng at the southwestern side of the temple grounds. This is sealed and in good condition until a few kilometres before reaching the border of Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear province where it becomes a dirt road, potholed and rough for a few kilometres before smoothing out (as of 02/23). It’s much improved compared to earlier years and let’s hope they keep going with road improvements.

Another option is to come from the north via Sangkum Thmei, which is also a dirt road but in quite a good condition. You can reach Sungkum Thmei via road 62, an excellent sealed road, which joins Kampong Thom and Krong Preah Vihear.

It is possible to reach here via a challenging trail, sometimes called Route 66, which follows the ancient Royal Road joining Beng Mealea to Preah Khan, more on that here.

You can easily hire a car and driver in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, otherwise, take a bus to Steung Saen of Kampong Thom and arrange transport to the temple with your guesthouse. Another option is to get off the bus at Stoung where there is a couple of guesthouses on the north side of the town and arrange transport from there.

Entry is 5 USD payable to the onsite Heritage police who are incredibly nice guys (Khmer speaking only). For accommodation, there is a local homestay in Ta Seng village and the Heritage Police can help arrange that. In Ta Seng village you can find several stalls selling local foods and several stalls selling drinks, gasoline etc.

References and further reading

• Reimagining the City of Fire and Iron: A landscape archaeology of the Angkor-Period Industrial Complex of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay, Cambodia (ca. 9th to 13th centuries A.D.), Evans, Hendrickson – 2015
• Mise en valeur des temples de Preah Khan de Kompong Svay: Cambodge, Auboyer, 1967
• L’Art khmer, étude historique sur les monuments de l’ancien Cambodge, Croizier, 1875
• Voyage au Cambodge. L’Architecture khmer, Delaporte, 1880
• Prah Khan de Kompon Svay. In: Bulletin de l’Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient. Tome 39, Mauger, 1939