ad1

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Phnom Da

Ankor Borei is a town in Takeo province in the area of several ruins and archaeological digs. The area has been continuously inhabited for at least 2500 years and has yielded artifacts dating frome the Neolithic period, the Funan period ( 4th/5th century AD ) and chenla ( 8th century AD ) as well as the later Ankorrian period ( 9th-15th century AD ). There are no singnificant temple ruins at Ankor Borei but there is a very interesting little museum displaying information on recent archaeological digs.

About 20km from Ankor Borei is the hill of Phnom Da, crowned by an impressive 11th centry Ankorian-era brick and sandstone prasat ( tower )displaying some carvings in good condotion. This structure was probably an upgrade of an previously existing 7th or 8th century structure  . The  temple was constructed under King rudravarnam and dedicated to Shiva.
Further down the hill is the unique little temple ruin Ashram Maha Rosei, quite unlike other khmer monuments in both design and adornment. the unique design is reminiscant of Prasat Ashram Isay in the Sambor Prey Kuk in Kompong Thom. Ashram Maha Rosei  was constructed of basalt stone and built in het late 7th-early 8th century ( perhaps earlier ), during the pre-Ankorian chenla period, under Bahavavarman. The design and adornments shows sign of non-khmer influence. In the 5th Edition of her Ankor guidebook , Dawn Rooney suggests that the architecture of the Ashram is" derived from the temple on the Dieng Plateu in Java and from those in southern India fused with khmer preferences."

Getting there : During the dry season , Phnom Da  can be reached by road or boat . In the wet season, it can only be reached by boat.



page sokun

No comments:

Post a Comment