SAMBOR PREI KUK TEMPLE COMPLEX

History. Sambor Prei Kuk, first capital of Kambuja in the ^6th century, lies some 30km from Kompong Thom. Sambor Prei Kuk, the cradle of pre-Angkorian civilization, lies halfway between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, in the middle Mekong valley, on the banks of the (now dried-up) Stung Sen river, which once flowed into the Tonle Sap. Previously overshadowed by the majesty of Angkor, this site, comprising 106 temples within a 5 km radius, is now accessible to tourists.

It was in the ^6th century that the Khmers of Chenla formed the nation of Kambuja. From Sambor Prei Kuk onwards, they imposed their control over the plains of the Great Lake and Lower Mekong, from Lopburi (in present-day Thailand) to Wat Phu (on the Laotian plain) and the southern region of Vietnam.

According to the Chinese Annals, the kingdom's lands were particularly fertile thanks to an original layout: the inhabitants of the time mastered water resources thanks to artificial ponds(srah) dug throughout the region, enabling them to feed the rice fields during the dry season. This agricultural technique was later optimized by the Angkorian kings.

Agricultural prosperity enabled Kambuja to develop into a powerful state, distinguished by its original, Indian-inspired architecture... the beginnings of Khmer art.

"At Sambor Prei Kuk, for the first time in Southeast Asia, we find an architectural model typically inspired by Indian cosmogony: an enclosure that brings together five temples, the central one symbolizing Mount Meru, marking the heart of the capital. Certain bas-reliefs seem to be copied from Indian friezes: the lion motif, which is often found, or certain figures whose faces are adorned with Shiva's moustaches, as in the Moha Russey ashram," explains Nouth Narang, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts.

The site had been explored by French archaeologists before the Pol Pot regime... ".. France was primarily interested in Angkor, but Bernard Philippe Groslier, of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, had nevertheless begun an inventory that was interrupted by the arrival of the Khmer Rouge", reports the Minister of Culture. Discovered in 1894 by Adhémard Leclère, the site of Sambor Prei Kuk was first brought to public attention by Pon le Niais (1913), a Cambodian tale by Jeanne Leuba:

"No one knew more about this ancient capital, whose splendid ruins litter the forest with admirable sculptures. This immense religious city of vanished ages, with its royal tower guarded by lions, its circular or octagonal temples in which the dull flight of bats rustles the darkness of vertiginous vaults; its monolithic flagstone cells; its walls chiselled with enormous escutcheons where confused beasts fight men ; its collapsed doorways whose sandstone pedestals guard on their smooth faces inscriptions in a forgotten language; its sacred basins framed by red bai kriem, where sumptuous deployments of perrons still descend to the cutting grasses and aquatic rushes that complete the drying up of the lustrous waters of yesteryear... "

Now, the temples are partly dislocated by vegetation: built of bricks fitted together with a natural resin, most of the monuments have collapsed and the sculpted stones lie under the tall trees. "We started by clearing the undergrowth. Now we're collecting the stone blocks to store them in a reserve which is to become the site museum in Kompong Thom."

Extract from Cambodge Soir, Grégoire Rochigneux.

Excursion to the ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk. Unless you're a motorcycle enthusiast, it's best to hire the services of an (experienced) moto-dop in Kampong Thom. The tour can be carried out in perfectly safe conditions, but you can always ask in Kampong Thom before setting off. Count on a full day if you're an enthusiast and want to take your time to immerse yourself in the place. In that case, remember to pack a picnic lunch, unless you can make do with two small, rustic restaurants 4 or 5 km from the site on the main track, right next to the police station... Otherwise, the tour can be completed more quickly in half a day. The guides, organized into guilds, generally give very interesting information in a tour of around an hour.

Although fairly extensive, Sambor Prei Kuk is far less imposing than the city of Angkor. As it stands, Sambor Prei Kuk is an unforgettable experience, a paradise of tranquility compared to Angkor. No one for a league around. The silence of the forest both oppresses and bewitches. Set off to explore the remains scattered throughout the forest, but don't stray too far from the paths - you never know.

The central archaeological site comprises three groups of edifices - north, south and west - built of brick, sandstone and laterite, surrounded by collapsed enclosures, and scattered through a sparse forest.

Each of the main sanctuaries, enclosed within a large enclosure, is surrounded by secondary constructions. Isolated temples are found between these groups, corresponding to the cult of linga (Shiva) or Brahmanism (Bhava dynasty of the ^6th and ^7th centuries). Some will appreciate the specific character of ^6th-century Khmer art, notably the lions guarding the entrance to one of the temples: heavy curly manes frame a grimacing mask. Their compact bodies show great primitive strength. They look very different from their counterparts at the entrance to Angkor Wat.

Apart from the temples themselves, a veritable metropolis lay to the west, as aerial photographs attest. The city's western boundary can be identified by a double embankment and a reservoir to the south. To date, no archaeological research has been carried out on the city itself.

A fourth group of temples lies to the north - Robang Romeas - dating from the ^11th century and having nothing to do with the Sambor Prei Kuk site, according to experts. This site features a large three-chamber temple with laterite walls and pillars, preceded by a porch.

According to the Chinese Annals, Içanapura was a famous capital: "Içanavarman took up residence in the city of Içanapura, populated by more than twenty thousand families. In the middle of the city stands the great hall where the king gives audience and holds court... Every three days, the sovereign solemnly goes to the audience hall on a bed made of five kinds of sweet-smelling wood and adorned with seven precious stones and metals. Above the bed rises a pavilion draped in magnificent fabrics, with columns of veined wood and walls of ivory studded with golden flowers. Together, the bed and the pavilion form a kind of small palace, at the back of which hangs a disc with gold rays in the shape of flames. A gold incense burner, tended by two men, is placed in front. The king wears a dawn-red cotton sash that falls to his feet. He covers his head with a tiara laden with gold and jewels, with pendants of pearls. On his feet are sandals of leather and sometimes ivory; on his ears, gold pendants. His dress is always made of the finest white fabric. The grand officers or ministers number five; their costume is almost identical to that of the king. Subordinate officers are very numerous. Those who appear before the king touch their foreheads to the ground three times at the bottom of the throne steps. If the king calls them and orders them to ascend the steps, they kneel with their hands crossed over their shoulders. The great mandarins sit in a circle around the prince to deliberate on the affairs of the kingdom. When the session is over, they kneel again, prostrate themselves and retire. More than a thousand guards clad in breastplates and armed with lances are ranged at the foot of the throne steps, in the palace halls, at the gates and peristyles."