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KAMPONG THOM PROVINCE
‘Kampong Pos Thom’ was the original name of the
present call ‘Kampong Thom’. Because originally long
time ago, at the dock of Sen river next to a big
natural lake, there was a big cave with a pair of
big snakes inside. The people living around this
area usually saw these big snakes every Buddhist
Holiday. Time after that, the snakes disappeared,
and the people of that area called Kampong Pos Thom.
Then, only short words ‘Kampong Thom’. During the
French colony in Cambodia, the French ruled and
divided Cambodian territory into provinces, and
named them according the spoken words of the people
called ‘Kampong Thom Province’ until now.
Kampong Thom is a province located at the central
point of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The province has a
total land area of 15,061km2 divided into 8
districts, 81 communes and 737 Villages. The total
population is 576,805 people (110,334 families,
women approximate 51%). The province has road
network which links from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap on
National Road 6, and separates to Preah Vihea
province National Road 64 in a distance of 126 km.
Geography
The
province is divided into two parts:
- Eastern part of National Road 6: Covers 70%
surface consisting of forests and plateau, rich in
natural resources which are good for agriculture,
forestry and animal husbandry.
- Western of part of National Road 6: Covers 30%
surface is the plain area extending to Tonle Sap
Lake. This area is good for rice cultivation and
fishing for supporting the needs of the province and
exporting to other.
Kampong Thom is also a province-rich in tourism
potentials to attract national and international
tourists such as the exotic lakes, rivers, forests,
mountain and more than 200 ancient temples.
History of Sambor Prei Kuk:
The ancient city where monuments of Sambo Prei Kuk
are found today was identified as ISANAPURA, the
capital of Chenla in 7th century. Chenla
was a former vassal of the Funan kingdom that was
one of the first state in Southeast Asia, but it
gradually gained its power and eventually King
Citrasena Mahendravarman of Funan in the early 7th
century.
Main
archaeological features in these groups of monuments
are said to have been founded by king ISANAVARMAN I,
the son of king Citrasena. Many decorative details
in Khmer architecture and sculpture are classified
as Sambor style: the name was derived from these
monuments dated in the first half of the 7th
century. Henceforth this kingdom was the leading
state and comprised the whole of Cambodia proper.
Furthermore, several successions of kings’ reign
might have maintained these monuments as their
capital city. The century following the death of
JAYAVARMAN I who is the last known king of this
kingdom in the second half of the 7th
century is a dark period in the history of Chenla.
According to a Chinese accounts, in the 8th
century, the country of Chenla was divided into land
and water Chenlas. The obscurity prevails and this
monument might be neglected thereafter. The history.
However, is traced again with the accession of
JAYAVARMAN II, who founded a new polity that is now
referred as Angkor in the beginning of 9th
century. Decorative details of Prasat Tao (Central
Group) are similar to the style of the remains
belong to the period of the king JAYAVARMAN II,
Particularly, characteristic lion statues resembles
the statues found in Phnom Penh. From these reasons
this architectural complex is said to be constructed
in this period. Furthermore some inscriptions in
Prasat Sambor (Northern Group) are dated in the 10th
century under the reign of the king RAJENDRA
VARMANII. And Robang Romeas group that is located
about 2km northward from main temple area, contains
other inscriptions of the king SURYAVARMAN I period.
Some other decorative details and statues belong to
the late Angkor period styles were confirmed from
these temples. These historical evidences suggest
that these monuments must have belonged to the
important provincial principle city after Pre Angkor
period. From above historical perspective, this
group of monuments is extremely significant not only
for Cambodia but also for the entire area of
Southeast Asia, for they are the only remaining
sound architectural constructions that exemplify the
architecture and sculpture of the early period in
sizable quantity.
Sambor Prei Kuk Group:
Sambor Prei Kuk cluttering sanctuaries were located
in Sambor Village, Kampong Cheuteal Commune, Prasat
Sambor District, Kampong Thom Provice. King
Mahendravarman had reigned form 607 to 616, was a
son of a king Sambor Prei Kuk style characterized
the real khmer telent. After right received
influence and developed her own arts sufficient to
the modern development. Arts and civilization of
Angkor was the great achievement in Southeast Asia.
The well-known city was called Isanapura is
presently located at Sambor Prei Kuk, Kampong Thom
Province. Sambor Prei Kuk is 25km north of
Provincial Town of Kampong Thom. By observation,
there are 52 small and big sanctuaries are in fairly
good condition, the other 52 sanctuaries were fallen
down and buried into the ground, and then became
small hills. The sanctuaries were built of brick and
limestone with the decoration of bas-relief on the
scenery walls. The foundation of sanctuary was made
of laterite, false door, diamond column and the
sculptures were made of sandstone.
Prasat Sambor Group (Northern Sanctuaries):
Northern sanctuary group comprised 11 sanctuaries
separated from each other with the one at the
middle, and had two-wall rampart. The sanctuaries
were built of brick and limestone and carve in the
beautifully real khmer style. These achievements
certified the real khmer talent, after received the
influence from India. Khmer had prepared her country
and developed arts by herself. The every great
development was in Angkor civilization period. The
sanctuary was built on a rectangular hill (24m 21m
or 25,200 square meters or 2.52 hectares).
The
sanctuary comprised 14 temples (only 8 remains), and
were surrounded by two-wall rampart. These temples
were constructed in various plans-square and
octagonal shapes. The top of the temple was carved
in lotus petals of sandstone, but some parts were
cracked down and buried into the ground and the pile
of bricks.
Lion
Temple Group:
Lion
temple group comprise 18 temples with two ramparts
closed to the pond. The reasons why the people
called Lion Temple because on the tops of all stairs
from the four directions, there were sitting lions
with forelegs standing up, hind-legs humbling down,
its head rose up and its mouse opened to the
sanctuary. The rampart outside made of laterite, had
328-meter length, 310-meter width and
101,650-square-meter surface.
This
rampart had Gopura in two-direction (East and West)
entrances that are connected by the other laterite
ramparts. In between rampart 2 and 1, at the
Northeastern side near the rampart 1, there was a
rectangular pond (42.10m x 34.20m). The bottom of
the pond spread by laterite and surrounded by the
stepped stairs. The small stairs of the Southern
side are made of sandstone.
Now
the pond is empty during the dry season. When we
enter from the Eastern Gopura on either side of the
road, we see two sanctuary hills were built on high
terrace with the tracks of the round column made of
laterite lining up in 0.40m height.
Prasat Yeai Poeun Group:
Prasat Yeai Poeun Group comprised a total of 22
sanctuaries (5 have octagonal shapes) with two wall
rampart, and was built of brick, masonry, laterite
and sandstone in rectangular from in 7th
century (600-635) during the reign of Isanavarman I
to dedicated to Shiva. They were built on a hill
with Gopura from the eastern and western entrances
joining to an outside laterite rampart. The inner
rampart reached by gateways from the four directions
and joined to the brick rampart carved in various
clustering figures.
Along the sanctuary contained the eastern and
western Gopura joined to the laterite rampart (304m
x 274m or 83,296 square-meter surface). Gopura
contained framed door with diamond columns and a
lintel built of sandstone. Eastern Gopura contained
a buried large inscription (size: 2.41m x 0,9m x
0,15) inscribed with 17 lines of script. This
inscription was brought to be kept in Kampong Thom
Museum.
Kroul Romeas Group:
Behind Kroul Romeas Group, there were four more
sanctuaries made of brick and built during the reign
King Suryavarman 1(end of 11th century).
These sanctuaries were built on a rectangular hill,
and faced to the East. One of sanctuaries was not
completely built yet, it was likely built in later
period. The lintel was carved in the form of bow
without the modal. At the southeastern side, there
were two temples recognized as the original ancient
khmer styles.
Phnom Santuk:
Since the ancient time to the present, Phnom Santuk
Mountain has been called in many names as below:
-
Phnom Thom (in history)
- Phnom Arth Santuk (In history)
- Phnom Chorm Chong Kiri
- Phnom Krop Tuk
- Phnom Preah Bat Chann Tuk
The
ancient heritages on the top of the mountain:
-
Many Buddha statues were carved from great mountain
rock including three big Buddha statues reaching
Nirvana, each has more than 10-meter length.
- Prasat Touch of pyramid shape, made of sandstone,
has three stories and three-meter height, and is
located next to the ancient wooden temple
(presently, it is made of cement) with a rectangular
pond (10m x 4m).
- Preah Bat Chann Tuk statue was carved on the stone
shaped as food of a sacred human, and there are many
other small sculptures.
By
the stories, the construction and the statues were
erected during the reign of Preah Ponhea Dharma
Reacha (1474-1494) and have been maintained until
now.
Phnom Santuk has changed names to Chorn Chong Kiri
and Phnom Krop Tuk. Chan Dare or Chan Chare are
called two pieces of stone by local people that join
all together in marked symbol and made in small
hole, the passenger arrived there, they always
dropped cash coins (ancient coins) into this small
hole. When cash coins was dropped in, it make soft
weak voice like a voice of the birds sing or music
with happiness. So they did that since ancient
period.
Preah Bat Chan Tuk or Buddha statue:
-
Was built by King Ang Chan I (16th
century).
- King Baksei Chamkrong built a wooden temple on
Phnom San Tuk at the same year.
- Sculptures carved on large ancient stone with many
scenes of story.
- Buddha statue reaching Nirvanawas carved on
larges-stone since 16th century.
Prey
Pros:
Prey
Pros is a natural and cultural site located at Prey
Pros Village, Prey Preal Commune, Kampong Svay
District in approximate 16-km distance northwest of
Provincial Town of Kampong. The site cover an area
of 2 million square meters and includes a river
(4,000-meter length and 30-meter width) which is
rich in Domrei fish. The site is a venue for foot
races, bicycle races, and other games during
national festivals. In addition, the provincial
tourists’ office has organized other recreational
activities such as boating, fishing and swimming,
and has built resting cottage where food and drinks
are sold. The view from Prey Pros is beautiful and
enchanting, while the wind which blows across the
river will cool and refresh the hot and tired
tourists.
Prasat Kuh Nokor:
Prasat Kuh Nokor is located in Trodoc Poung Village,
Pong Ror Commune, Baray District, Kampong Thom
Province and is in the complex of Wat Kuh Nokor
(Buddhist Pagoda). To reach there, passenger can
take all kinds of vehicle on National Road 6, then
turn west through the gate of Kuh Nokor pagoda in a
distance of 2km. It is 79km from Provincial Town of
Kampong Thom. These sanctuaries were built on the
flat ground, on a square terrace made of laterite
and sandstone facing to the East with the rampart
surrounding. This rampart has a 35m-length (East to
West) and a 25m-width (North to South). There is
surrounding rampart of one meter height and 0.8
meter thick with two gateways: Eastern gateway is 9m
height divided into 3 rooms, and western gateway is
small and has square shape.
The
structures of the buildings are mixed, made of
laterite and the decoration of sandstone. East of
the temple, there are 2 ponds-the small one has
about one-meter depth,45-meter length and 20-meter
width, and the big one has 160-meter length,
88-meter width and more than one-meter depth.
Prasat Kuh Nokor comprises:
- The throne is square shape, made of sandstone and
decorated by lotus flowers and pointed-diamond
style, and has square hole at the middle.
- A male standing statue remains from thigh to
shoulder.
- A male standing statue remains from thigh to the
navel.
- A male coiling statue is difficult to be
identified as the statue broke the end of the arm
and the sole of the foot (local people called the
statue ‘Neak Ta Bark Kor’.
Prasat Kuh Nokor was built in 10th -11th
century by the king Suryavarman I (1002-1050). But
in the same year (1002), another document said there
was a king named Preah Bat Jayviravarman who who was
also on throne (1002-1010). The two kings claimed
that they were on throne at the same year, this
leading to war between king and king until 1006.
Then the king Suryavarman I conquered Yasodharpura
city, however the war still lasted for 04 years to
end. In 1010, the king Suryavarman I gained success
over the entire territory and had full power in the
country.
Prasat Kok Rokar (Preah Theat):
Prasat Kok Rokar is located in Rokar Phum, Srayov
Commune, Stung Sen District, Kampong Thom province
in a 14-km distance from Provincial Town of Kampong
Thom. The temple was built of sandstone and laterite
in Khleng style at the end of 11th
century during the reign of king Suryavarman I to
dedicate to Siva.
This
isolated sanctuary (dimension: 6m x 5m; 8m height)
was built on the hill and faced to the east. The
body of the central temple has conical form with
porches opening to the east, and a door reached from
the eastern entrance (three other doors were the
false doors). The diamond column has octagonal
forms, and the three lintels have various forms.
Based on the study to the site, the sanctuary was
formed in rectangular shape. The outside rampart has
25m x 25m size and Gopura from the four directions
which jointed to the surrounding laterite rampart.
Outside the rampart, there were likely moats
surrounded as we saw some marks remain until now. In
observation to the temple’s court, there were
lintels and inscriptions available at the
surrounding. The lintels has various style some in
Sambor Prei Kuk, some in Prei Khmeng and some in
Kulen style etc. This didn’t mean that the artists
built the mixed styles. According to the elderly
resident there said that during the French colony in
Cambodia, these ancient objects were brought from
other temples to gather here in preparing to break
into small parts that would then be used to pave the
roads, but they didn’t construct the roads yet due
to the war happened in the Country that why these
ancient objects remained there.
On
the hill 1km from the temple, where they held
midnight ceremony every full moon day with making
virgin girls dancing around the fired place to pray
for the rain. This ceremony could be participated by
virgin girls only.
Prasat Phum Prasat:
Located in Prasat Village, Prasat Commune, Snatuk
District, Kampong Thom Province. This temple located
in a 27-km district from Provincial Town of Kampong
Thom, and there is road from the southern direction
of 500-meter length. This temple was built of brick,
masonry and sandstone in 8th century
(706) with Kampong Preah style to dedicate to Siva.
It was a sanctuary built temple on the flat terrace
without the false door and faced to the east. In the
ancient period, the door were made by two wooden
boards-one carved with sculptures of male divinities
at another one carved with female divinities. The
southern framed door was inscribed with five lines
of inscription, and its back was mostly erode. The
lintel was ornamented by the garlands; the diamond
column we carved with carousing motifs; and the
upper corner of the temple contained the segments of
Linga and Yoni. Southeast of the temple, there were
other two more temples (at present, they became the
small hills). South of the large temple, were was a
hill called Toul Samrong or Toul Nak Ta Samrong; and
east of this hill, there was a Pou tree in which the
local people call Toul Nak Ta Deum Pou (the hill of
the body tree spirit). In ancient time, this place
was the former royal palace where the royal valuable
were kept. Then it was excavated and the valuables
were taken away during the French colony. This
sanctuary was in seriously ruined condition, in 1996
the brick of the southern and western towers dropped
down due to the trees growing and the strong wind
blowing on them. Besides, there was lack of
conservation and protection leading to the serious
damages caused by nature and aged existence at the
sanctuary especially by the ignorant people.
Closed against the sanctuary, where the Buddhism
monks constructed the new temple. This could caused
the damages to the ancient sanctuary. Beside the
Prasat Phum Prasat, there was an inscription buried
into the ground which its upper part was inscribed
with six lines of Sanskrit scripts. This inscription
was found at six kilometers near the Police Post on
National Road 6.
Prasat Andet Temple:
Prasat Andet is located northwest of Provincial Town
of Kampong Thom, in Prasat Village, Sankor Commune,
Kampong Svay District, Kampong Thom Province. The
temple was built in second half of 7th
century (627-707) during the reign of king
Jayavarman I to dedicate to God Hirihara, in Kampong
Preah style and made of brick with masonry, laterite
and sandstone. Prasat Andet had isolated plan, built
on a 5.30-meter height artificial hill, and was form
in rectangular shape with 7.50-meter length,
5.50-meter width and 1-meter thick (interior to
exterior). It was facing to the East. The lintel of
Prasat Andet was carved in the garlands and
carefully done in the traditional khmer style.
The
coronet (2.22 lengths) was ornamented around by the
rings decorated, and at between of the rings we
decorated with garland and bulb flowers surrounded,
which are joining each other by the end of the
decorations. In original former time, this temple
contained Harihara Statue standing on a decorative
royal throne, and the statue was brought to be kept
at Phnom Penh National Museum. The Harihara statue
is a body side’s Siva and another body side’s Vinu.
The framed door had 1 m width, 2m height and 0.20m
thick. On the northern framed door, we saw the marks
of a cloven hoof of tiger cat that used to go to the
upper box of the door, which remained the marks
until now.
Bird
Sanctuary of Boeng Tonle Chmar:
Boeng Chmar contains fishing lot 5 and lot 6, and is
30km far from Stoung District town of Kampong Thom
Province, there were villages of Nesat, Kamong Kdei,
Svay Kor, Mo Doung, Kampong Bradom and Msa Trang
Tboung in Peam Bang Commune. The people living in
this area with floating houses that are moving up
and down according to the water levels in the jungle
and flooded forest. The bird sanctuary of Boeng
Chmar covers a land area of 400 hectares having an
interconnecting network of water channels along the
bank of Boeng Kla Lake, rich in flooded forests.
This area is connected by two big river tributaries
(Stoung and Stung Chik Kreng) flowing down to Boeng
Chmar. Beong Chmar is the sanctuary for many kinds
of birds.
Stone Handicraft:
Located at Ka Kos Village, Ka Kos Commune, Santhuk
District in 16-km distance from Provincial Town of
Kampong Thom on National Road 6. The craftsmen take
the rocks from the Santhuk mountain’s foot to make
statues and various figures for house decoration.
This stone handicraft is served for domestically and
internationally target markets. Beside stone
handicraft, Kampong Thom has other handicraft like
Krama, Silk shirts, traditional khmer clothing and
handbags. |
