Prasat Preah Khset is located in the beautiful village carrying the same name, Preah Khset, and the site is easy to access but recently become a little overgrown with thorns again (10/2/22). Regardless, it’s a fascinating ancient site.
The ruins sprawl far and wide but concentrate beginning with what would have been the entrance gopura.
Past the gopura and towards the temple, there is a beautiful pediment and remains of a lintel surrounded in thorny scrub and followed by a still standing doorframe.
After that it clears a little, exposing standing sections of the outer wall and you can see the laterite basements and sandstone doorframes in places of what were three brick temples flanked by two “library” buildings. The art and relief carvings in the remains are truly special.
Most fascinating is the beautiful round pedestal which are not so common
Inscriptions registered from the site
- K. 237 – from a doorframe, 14 lines of Sanskrit and 21 lines of Khmer noting the restoration of a linga during the reign of King Suryavarman I and the conscretion of three statues, Buddha, Brahma, and Vishnu in 1067 AD, translated by Georges Coedes I urge you to read the remainder in IC VI and there may be later translations too
- K. 455 – from a doorframe, 15 lines of Khmer – translated by Georges Coedes he notes it as having “gaps”, with it mentioning donations to Samtac Vray, a location Cresthapura, a person, Sten An Laksmipativarman, and a date of 1067 AD read the full transalation in IC VII
Nearby there is an ancient funerary area and further south is Kbal Bei (uncleared at 02/2022) and Kok Mon (difficult access with new trails possibly being graded soon – 02/2022)
Map
Site Info
- Reference ID: HA11858 | Last Update: January 1st, 2026
- Site Name: Preah Khset (Pr.) | Khmer: បា្រសាទព្រះក្សេត្រ
- Other Names: Preah Khset (Pr.), Pr. Práḥ Khset., Prasat Prah Khset
- Location: Siem Reap Province > Srei Snam District > Slaeng Spean Commune > Preah Khset Village
- Inventaire Khmer IK: 710
- MoCFA/EFEO Inventory - CISARK: 575
- Monuments Historiques - MH: 569
- Inscription Number/s: K. 237 , K. 455
- Tags/Group: 1926MH, Inscription, Lajonquiere, MH, pr, rc, T4, Temples
Historical Inventories of Preah Khset (Pr.)
- 1911, E. Lunet de Lajonquière, Inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge, Tome III, pg. 343 (IK #: 710 Site Name: Prasat Prah Khset Region: Srok Kralanh, Khet Siemreap)
- 1926, Liste des Monuments Historiques, #: 569 Site: Pr. Práḥ Khset. - Three sanctuaries made of brick, sculptures and inscriptions. Region: Siemréap
Preah Khset (Pr.) Inscription References
- K. 237 - Section: S Lines: 14 Script: Sanskrit Date (Saka): 989 Ref: 1885, Barth, Inscriptions Sanscrites du Cambodge, n° XIX, p. 173 ; 1953, Coedes, Inscriptions du Cambodge, Volume 5, p. 293 ; 2014, Estève, L'inscription K. 237 de Prāsāt Preaḥ Khsaet. Une caturmūrti insolite ?. In: Bulletin de l'Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient. Tome 100, pp. 167-200
- K. 237 - Section: N Lines: 21 Script: Khmer Date (Saka): 989 Ref: 1885, Barth, Inscriptions Sanscrites du Cambodge, n° XIX, p. 173 ; ICVI, p. 293 ; 2014, Estève, L'inscription K. 237 de Prāsāt Preaḥ Khsaet. Une caturmūrti insolite ?. In: Bulletin de l'Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient. Tome 100, pp. 167-200
- K. 455 - Lines: 15 Script: Khmer Date (Saka): xe-xie Ref: 1964, Coedes, Inscriptions du Cambodge, Volume 7, p. 79
