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BACKGROUND
The author of this article has sinc 2003
conducted GPS-based
field-research on the orientation of ancient Khmer temples in
NE-Thailand (Isan), a research aimed at analysing the general trend in
orientation of Khmer sites and eventual celestial relation.
After having completed the research in
Buriram Province the author became
interested in the routings between the Khmer sites, including ancient
settlements, in Isan down to the ancient capital city of Kambuja,
Angkor Wat.
The provincial authorities of Buriram
were interested in the ancient route as well because it was in a process of being promoted as a 'Cultural Route'
including the dharmasalas and the better known temples as Phimai and
Phanom Rung. The project was centrally initiated (the National World
Heritage Committee at the Office of Natural Resources and
Environmental Policy and Planning).
The local authorities had problems locating the
dharmasalas in Buriram, especially the dharmasala Prasat Nong Kong,
which coordinates were incorrectly given in their FAD material. As
the author already had located the site, he was happy to support the
vice-governor's office with the correct coordinates, the coordinates
of
all Khmer sites in Buriram, and a short description of the
temples. The paper is hereby also available for the general public,
see the article below.
***
| |
NEW ASPECTS IN THE PRESENT ARTICLE |
1
|
The routing from Ta Muan to Phimai
is not as hitherto described basically straight, it zigzags from
site to site through Isan. |
| 2 |
The distances between the sites
vary considerably. |
| 3 |
The orientations of the
constructions vary considerably. |
4
|
The Hindu temples That Phanom Rung
and Muang Tam might be secondary options on the pilgrimage. |
| 5 |
The 'Cultural Route' tourism project will in focus next year. |
*** |
Article:
The Dharmasala Route from Angkor to Phimai
- an ancient route in revival -
A stone-inscription discovered at
the Preah Khan temple, Angkor Thom, states that the Mahayana Buddhist
emperor Jayavarman VII (1181 – ca. 1220 A.D.) initiated the construction
of 17 arki-salas on the route from the capital, Angkor Thom, to
Phimai.
Arki-sala
literally means 'house with fire'. In modern literature they are mostly
referred to as dharmasalas (dharma: Buddhist Teaching,
sala: pavilion) or 'rest-houses'.
Dharmasala is
apparently a later term but for convenience used hereafter. The surviving
stone structure is most likely to have been used as a religious shrine for
travellers (pilgrims), who accommodated in nearby and now decayed
structures made of lighter materials such as tree and bamboo.
Seven of the hitherto eight discovered dharmasalas
in NE-Thailand are made of laterite with only the door- and window-frames
made of sandstone. The size is relatively small: Approximately 4 by 15
meters. The western part is adorned with a spire. Only the southern wall
has windows. A pedestal for a religious image is located inside the
western door. The orientation of the eastern door can varies from 50.0º to
97.5º - none of them straight 90º east.
Only two of the dharmasalas have been renovated:
Prasat Ta Muan and Prasat Huai Khaen. The rest are still in a ruined
state. Artefacts are generally missing, but Mahayana Buddha figures can be
seen in nearby temporary Buddhist temples near 3 of the sites.
The dharmasalas in Cambodia have not yet been
visited by the author, but literature studies show similar architectural
lay-out.
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Prasat Ta Muan from south-west |
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Prasat Ta Muan from south. |
THE DHARMASALA ROUTE
The ancient route from Angkor to
Phimai is in the literature often referred to as The Royal Road. In
this article it is called The Dharmasala Route, as there were at
least two routes from Angkor to Phimai, the
Dharmasala Route being the latest.
An older and easier accessible route entered the Khorat
Plateau at the 11th century Prasat Bai Baek, which is located exactly on
the alignment from Angkor to Phimai. Prasat Bai Baek is like the 12th
century Angkor Wat dedicated Vishnu and shares the same unique orientation
of straight west, the cardinal direction associated with Vishnu.
The later (12th – early 13th
century) Dharmasala Route started at the Preah Khan temple right
outside the northern gate of Angkor Thom, where the first dharmasala
is located. After passing the flat plane of lowland Cambodia the route
crossed the Dangraek Mountains right south of Prasat Ta Muang, which is
the first dharmasala on the Khorat plateau.
Jayavarman VII apparently changed the Phimai-routing to
the Ta Muan Mountain Pass some 12 km east of the Sai Taku Mountain Pass at
Prasat Ta Muan and constructed a 'rest-house', Prasat Ta Muan and a
'hospital', Prasat Ta Muan Tot, close to the already existing late 11th
century Shiva temple, Prasat Ta Muan Thom.
From there the Dharmasala Route was not
continuing directly towards Prasat Phanom Rung and Prasat Muang Tam – the
2 most famous temples of a cluster of all together 9 Hindu temples. The
route passed the cluster in the eastern perimeter. The 2nd dharmasala
on the Khorat Plateau is Prasat Thamo, the 3rd is Prasat Ban Bu, which is
the dharmasala closest to and some 4 km east of Prasat Phanom Rung
and 4 km north of Prasat Muang Tam.
The Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary Prasat Phimai was the
ultimate and final destination for the travelling pilgrim – not Prasat
Phanom Rung, which might have been an 'extra option' on the pilgrimage and
a detour adding 5 km to the stretch to the 4th dharmasala, Prasat
Nong Kong. The presence of a Jayavarman VII 'library' inside the walls of
Prasat Phanom Rung indicates that this temple like most other Hindu
temples was transformed into a Mahayana Buddhist Temple.
Near Prasat Phanom
Rung and at Prasat Muang Tam as well, Jayavarman VII built 'hospitals',
for curing the maladies of his subjects – but no 'rest-houses' for the
pilgrims.
Above: GPS-generated map by the author
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Right:
Map from 1910 based on de Lajonquiere
The route from Angkor to
Phimai was first described in the literature by the French surveyor
E.E. Lunet de Lajonquiere, who on his map depicted it as going
straight from Angkor to the Dangrek Mountain Chain. From there the
routing was depicted going straight to Phanom Rung and thereafter
straight to Phimai.
This straight super-highway concept has since the
publishing of Lajonquiere's now nearly 100 years old map been repeated
by later scholars.
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De Lajonquiére and the
temporary French surveyor Aymonier did an excellent job, but neither of
them had knowledge of the positions of all 17 dharmasalas, and
their mapmaking was done with tools less accurate than modern equipment.
An on-going GPS-survey of ancient Khmer temples in
NE-Thailand reveals that the dharmasalas from Phimai to Ta Muan are
not located on a straight line.
The distance between the
locations varies from 11.2 to 20.6 km. After a three weeks motor-bike
field research along the alignments of the dharmasalas in
NE-Thailand the author does not see any geographic reason for why the
Dharmasala Route
is zigzagging through the landscape. A further study will include the
locations of ancient moated settlements.
Neither is there any geographic reason for the
relatively great variation in distance between the sites. One of the short
stretches on 11 km passes 3 rivers and areas pruned to flooding, but the
other 11-km stretch passes easily passable flat sandy highland. The
longest stretch passes similar easily passable flat sandy highland right
south of Phimai, where no ancient settlements are registered and the area
was not suitable for rice-growing.
A survey of the 'rest-houses'
and stone bridges along the Dharmasala Route in Cambodia has been
postponed until after the rainy season, but literature studies (1, 2)
reveal that the routing in Cambodia is zigzagging there as well and that
there also is variation in orientation of the temples and distance between
them.
WHERE ARE THE 17 DHARMASALAS?
Where are the 17 Dharmasalas mentioned in the Preah
Khan Inscription? Until this moment nobody knows the location of all of
them!
In the beginning of this year the Fine Arts Department
of Thailand (F.A.D.) listed seven Dharmasalas in Isan, then later on
eight. Literature studies mention six in Cambodia. The author has received
the GPS-addresses of these from the authorities in Phnom Penh and added
them on the GPS-generated map above.
Where are the rest then? F.A.D. recently added one in
Isan: Prasat Samrong. A short glimpse at the map above does not look
convincing. The distance to the next is only 6 km and on flat land easy to
travel. The map rather indicates a missing Dharmasala at Phimai (!) – just
like there is one right outside Angkor, and at Phimai there actually are
two un-excavate sites.
When surveying Prasat Samrong 7 months ago the ruin did
not evidently appear as a Dharmasala, but if F.A.D. is correct, then there
are only two missing Dharmasalas in northern Cambodia with a distance
between on ca. 20 km – in a rugged landscape, difficult to trespass. A
planned future survey in northern Cambodia will hopefully clear out these
uncertainties.
THE REVIVAL OF THE ANCIENT ROUTE
The ancient route has come into focus again
and is presently being revived. The National World Heritage Committee (the
Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning,
Bangkok) has in February 2004 prepared and distributed a paper to the
provincial authorities setting out guidelines for promoting a 'Cultural
Route from Phimai to Ta Muan' (*). This coming route constitutes of a
chain of temples on the Khorat Plateau including Prasat Phimai, Prasat
Phanom Rung, Prasat Muang Tam , the 8 hitherto dharmasalas and 6
nearby Jayavarman VII 'hospitals'.
An obvious next step would be
to expand the route to its cultural centre – Angkor – and several steps in that
direction has already been taken.
In May 2004 a caravan with officials from Buriram
visited the Jayavarman VII 'hospital' Banteay Chhmar in NW Cambodia and
also a 'rest-house', Prohm Kel, on the Dharmasala Route. The caravan entered Cambodia at the Chong Sai Taku
mountain pass next to Prasat Bai Baek in Buriram province, which presently
is only open for locals, but is under preparation to be upgraded to an
international checkpoint.
The archaeologists at Prasat
Phanom Rung Historical Park works every year on one specific theme. Next
years theme is The Cultural Route Angkor-Phimai with emphasis on Buriram.
Another project to be seen next year is the
construction of a Cultural Route Information Centre, which will be located
at either Phanom Rung or Nang Rong City.
A third related 2005-project is a newly settled group
of researchers from Buriram Rajabhat Institute, who will study tourism
feasibilities in the triangle Buriram-Srisaket-Angkor with emphasis on The
Cultural Route and its associated ancient Khmer temples.
Year 2005 will be the year of
the revival of the Cultural Route from Angkor in Cambodia to Phimai in
Thailand hopefully strengthening the cultural ties and mutual
understanding between the two peoples.
(*): 'Cultural Route', sen thang ariyatham, (เส่นทางอริยธรรม),
could also be translated as the 'Route of Civilization' - as sen thang
means 'route' and ariyatham 'civilization'.
(1)
Les Points en pierre
du Cambodge ancien, Bruno Bruguier,
Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extréme-Orient (BEFEO, 2000). (2)
Dharmaçalas
ou Cambodge, Louis Finot, Bulletin de
l'École Française d'Extréme-Orient (BEFEO, 1925).
www.thai-isan-lao.com
Buriram, 2004 September 12
*** END OF ARTICLE
***
| APPENDIXES |
| 1.0 Pictures of Khmer temples in the area along the
ancient route(s) |
| 1.1 Dharmasalas in
NE-Thailand |
| 1.2 Jayavarman VII
'hospitals' in NE-Thailand |
| 1.3 Hindu sanctuaries in
NE-Thailand |
| 1.4 Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary
in NE-Thailand |
| 1.5 Ancient settlements
in NE-Thailand |
| 1.6 Dharmasalas
in Cambodia |
| 1.7 The ancient stone
bridge Spean Top (BEFEO: 719) in Cambodia |
| 1.8 The ancient Khmer
stone bridge 'Spean O Kmeng Bridge' |
| 1.9 Ancient Khmer
temples along the northernmost part of Dharmasala Route in Cambodia. |
| 2.0 Links to websites with pictures
related to the
Dharmasala Route in Cambodia |
| 3.0 Locations and GPS-position of the 8 known
dharmasalas |
| 4.0 Distances,
alignments and orientations |
| 4.1 The distances and the alignments between the dharmasalas |
| 4.3 Distances and alignments Angkor Wat – Prasat Bai Baek |
| 4.4 Orientations of the
dharmasalas |
|
4.4.1
Methods used for determination of orientation: |
| |
1.0. Pictures of Khmer temples in the area along the
ancient routes in NE-Thailand:
Dharmasalas, Jayavarman VII 'hospitals', Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist
sanctuaries.
1.1: Dharmasalas
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No. 17
Prasat Ku Sila Khan,
Khorat Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: From west
Right: Northern wall |
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No. 16
Prasat Huai Khaen,
Khorat Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: From north
Right: Western facade |
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No. 15
Prasat Nong Ta Plaeng,
Buriram Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: From S-W
Right: Northern wall |
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No. 14
Prasat Nong Plong,
Buriram Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: From west
Right: Northern wall |
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No. 13
Prasat Nong Kong,
Buriram Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: From south
Right: Northern wall |
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No. 12
Prasat Ban Bu,
Buriram Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: Southern facade
Right: Eastern facade |
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No. 11
Prasat Thamo,
Buriram Province,
NE-Thailand.
Left: S-E corner
Right: Southern facade |
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No. 10
Prasat Ta Muan,
Surin Province,
NE-Thailand.Left: S-W corner
Right: Southern facade |
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Pictures right and left:
Temporary Mahayana Buddhist
figures in Bayon style can be found on site at Prasat Ban Bu and
in several local village temples along the Dharmasala Route
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Prasat Samrong (ปราสาทบ้านสำโรง)
- a 9th Dharmasala in Isan?
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After this paper was
edited the Fine Arts Department added a 9th Dharmasala in Thailand -
in Buriram province. As written in the article above the author is not
yet convinced.
The argument from a local archaeologist, who was
informed about the matter at a recent meeting in Phimai, is that the
site has been recently excavated and that artefacts found there
indicates Bayon style and thereby Jayavarman VII.
Evidence that supports the assumption of Prasat Samrong
as being a Dharmasala in the orientation of the structure of ca. 64.5°
true east, as the constructions of Jayavarman VII have a wide spread
of orientations (see 4.4 below). Another evidence is the shape and
size of the structure. Arguments against are: Is there a door in the
southern wall? The construction is made of laterite and sand-stone -
all other Dharmasalas in Isan have only one kind of stone, except for
sandstone in window and door-frames of laterite constructions. All
Dharmasalas, except Prasat Ku Sila Khan, are made of laterite. The
latter is completely made of a similar reddish sandstone as also used
here. 'Hospitals' do use 2 kind of stones...
The author will one of the next days re-visit the site
and see whether the structure has been dug free. And later try to find
the artefacts. The pictures below are from a research visit early
2004.
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| Above:
Towards what seems to be a door in the western table. The structure is
in a very ruined state, |
|
Above:
In the southern wall there is an opening assumed to be to the remnants
of a door, which is a-typical for a Dharmasala. |
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| Above:
The base of the northern wall indicates that the temple was a
sandstone structure on a laterite base - which is a-typical for a
Dharmasala. |
|
Above:
In the eastern part of the structure, there is a depression like a
sump or sra nam, water reservoir inside the temple. |
| POSTSCRIPT about
Prasat Samrong
A visit to the ruins of Prasat Samrong the 14th of October 2004
revealed that no excavation had been done since the last visit in
April, so the site has never been excavated.
The local
farmers on the site informed that there had been a visit of local
dignitaries.
And the farmers were now acquainted with the term
dharmasala and told that the temple would soon be 're-build' and
also hoped for tourists to come... |
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The farmers also told about Buddha-figures looted at the site 20-30
years ago, which itself does not indicate that the temple was
initially constructed as a Buddhist temple or shrine. They could have
been transported to the site later.
As an architect the author had hoped to inspect the foundation of the
structure. Especially the southern wall (see pictures above and to the
left) where a dharmasala has windows.
A next visit will be paid
in the coming dry season.
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1.2. Jayavarman VII 'hospitals'.
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Kuti Rishi Noi,
Phimai City, KhoratLeft: From west
Right: From SW
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Prang Ban Prang
KhoratLeft: From NE
Right: From NW
Under restoration in 2004
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Kuti Rishi Nong Boa Lai
BuriramLeft: From east
Right: From NW
Located 3 km east of Phanom Rung south of the large
Nong Boa Lai Barai. |
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Kuti Rishi Ban Khok Muang
BuriramLeft: From east
Right: From east
The site has solar-events coinciding with events at the nearby Prasat
Phanom Rung. |
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Khok Ngiaw
BuriramLeft: From SE
Right: From SW
Located next to the main road from Nang Rong to
Pakham
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Ta Muan Tot
SurinLeft: From NW
Right: From NW
Located between and close to the Ta Muan
dharmasala and Prasat Ta Muan Thom.
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1.3. Hindu sanctuaries.
Most of the more than 20 ancient sites, which are
located within a distance of 10 km km from the Dharmasala Route are
in ruined state. The 7 sites with the highest tourism potential are listed
below. The first 5 are are located in a cluster centred around Muang Tam
less than 6 km from this. The last 2 are located at the Dangrek Mountain
Chain close by the two ancient mountain passes.
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Prasat Phanom Rung
BuriramEarly 10th to late 12th century.
Left: Eastern facade.
Right: The setting sun seen through all 15 doors of the temple. |
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Prasat
That Phanom Rung is dedicated Shiva and has a unique location on
the top of an extinct volcano. The temple been built continuously over
several centuries with the brick towers at the elders construction
dating back to the beginning of the 10th century. The central tower
and the galleries dates to the era when Suryavarman IV ruled at
Angkor. All structures share the orientation of 84.5 degrees east.
The temple has in the last years been renown for the 4
annual solar-events, when the sun penetrates the 15 gates of the
temple. The time interval between these events fits with a lunar month
and could be an intentionally imbedded calendric feature. For details
about the theory on this subject, see the authors web-page in
English or
Thai.
|
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Prasat Muang Tam
Buriram11th century
Left: From east.
Right: From NW.
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Prasat Muang Tam is another fully renovated Hindu temple
dedicated Shiva and located on the plain 6 km SE of Prasat Phanom
Rung.
Data form authors on-going research indicates that the
temple apparently shares the same astronomical concept as Phanom Rung.
A paper is under preparation and will be published in the beginning of
2005, when the celestial events are visible.
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Prasat Plai Bat I
BuriramEarly 10th century
Left: From west.
Right: Jayavarman VII library.
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Prasat
Plai Bat I is temporary with the brick towers of Prasat That
Phanom Rung and was probably dedicated Shiva. The temple is located on
top of an extinct volcano with a higher elevation than the nearby
Prasat Plai Bat II, which together with Prasat Phanom Rung and Prasat
Muang Tam are clearly visible. The temple is in a ruined state due to
treasure hunters use of dynamite.
There are no marked roads or paths up to the site,
which is hard to find. Walk-paths up to - and between - Plai Bat I and
II will be implemented. The idea is not to spoil the experience of
nature- and temple-exploring in a silent environment.
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Prasat Plai Bat II
Buriram10th - 11th century...
Left: From south
Right: Phanom Rung
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Plai Bat II is located 1 km west of Plai Bat I and is probably
a Hindu temple from the 10th - 11th century. Buddhist artefacts have
been excavated from both temples, but these are long gone (sold) and
probably dates from later Mahayana Buddhist use of the sites. |
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Prasat Khok Prasat
Buriram11th century
Left: Towards west.
Right: Detail of Baphuon nagas originally from Prasat Khok
Prasat. |
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Prasat Khok
Prasat is located 6 km east of Prasat Muang Dam - and west of the
reservoir on the picture. Actually there is no more temple left.
Excavations could revile the laterite foundations and many ornamented
sandstones. Many artefacts are now on display in a local school and
temple. Collected and with light excavations a very interesting little
'Baphuon-art museum' could be created next to the water.
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Prasat Bai Baek
BuriramBeg. 11th century
Left: From west
Right: Northern tower from SW
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Prasat
Bai Baek is a Vishnu temple like the later Angkor Wat with which
it also shares the unique orientation of straight west - the cardinal
direction associated with Vishnu. A lintel at Phimai Museum depicts
Vishnu riding on the mythical bird the Garuda.
The temple is in a ruined state and will probably be
given more care in the future due to its location only 800 m from the
new bitumen road leading down to the future international checkpoint
Sai Taku 2 km SE.
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Prasat Ta Muan Thom
SurinLate 11th century
Left: From NW
Right: Natural rock-linga
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Prasat Ta
Muang Thom is a Shiva Temple built in late 11th century and is
located right on present Thai-Cambodian border facing south.
Descending the stairs from the central sanctuary one crosses the
border. The exact lining of the border is in dispute and so is
ownership of the site, which has put an end to the up-started
restoration.
The temple is built around a natural stone linga, which
was a highly revered religious among the ancient Khmer. The presence
indicates the the temple might be older than the present structure -
and so might the ancient route be. Maybe the formulation about which
route is the oldest is wrong itself. Maybe both routes were in use
simultaneously since pre-historic times. |
1.4. Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary:
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| Central sanctuary from
SW |
Jayavarman VII as Buddha |
Central sanctuary from
east |
|
Prasat Phimai dates back to late 11th century
and Jayavarman VI and construction continued in the 12th century. In
an era when when major Hindu temples were built in the area from
Angkor to Phanom Rung, Phimai was dedicated Mahayana Buddhism.
An inscription mentions the installation of the
''Tantric Mahayana god Trailokyavijaya, who attempts to convert the
Hindu god Shiva to his form of Buddhism'' (Freeman, 1996). Vajrasattva
is carved on a pilaster carrying his vajra (thunderbolt), but
rather more as the original weapon of Indra than as the meditation
tool in Vajrayana Buddhism.
Together with Bodhisattvas from the Mahayana Buddhist
pantheon, Hindu gods Shiva, Krishna, Indra, and various guardians of
the cardinal directions are depicted as well. This tolerant religious
coexistence has been a characteristic for earlier Hindu monarchs as
well as for the later Mahayana Buddhist ruler Jayavarman VII.
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1.5. Ancient settlements:
|
Ancients settlements must be a part the study of ancient
travelling routes. The ancient communities traded with one another
resulting in a net of local roads/paths. Waterways
would most probably have been given priority - when existing.
And we should consider basic questions, such as: Who
did travel over longer distances and for what purpose? Merchants and
pilgrims would travel - and for each their reason. Pleasure-travel
(tourism) is out of the question - even nowadays many - especially the
elder generations - never or seldom leave their province.
Moated sites: Human settlement surrounded by
moats and earthen dikes can still be traced in the landscape of
southern Isan and Cambodia and can be dated back to the beginning of the
1st millennium. This type of settlements have been studied since the
II
World War and are well documented in the literature (Moore, Sorachet,
Thiwa
et. al.).
Three such sites have come into focus under the
field-search because of their location close to the direct alignment
between dharmasala no 14 and 15 - Prasat Nong Ta Phlaeng in Buriram
and Prasat Huai Khaen in Khorat province:
1) Ban Phothairin
Phatthana, Buriram: The dike system is renovated and clearly
visible in the landscape.
The distance to the 'dharmasala alignment' is app. 0.7
km.
2) Ban Samrong Kao
(Old Samrong), Buriram: The traces of a large flat stone platform
in the village has been measured. The village is believed to be the
related to the ancient Khmer temple Prasat Samrong 0.6 km to the south. The
ancient Samrong community had 3 encircling moats and dikes. The
distance to the 'dharmasala alignment' is app. 1.5 km.
3: Ban Muang Fai - Ban
Prasat Thong - Ban Khumuang village-cluster, hereafter called
Muang Fai: The settlement has 5-6 ancient temples located within a
radius of 600 m. The distance to the 'dharmasala alignment'
is app. 3.5 km.
|
The French surveyor E.E. Lunet de Lajonquiere visited Muang Fai
and published the finding of an ancient square site called Kuti
Fai located in Muang Fai in 1907 A.D. in Inventaire
Desciptive des Monument Du Cambodge.
Dating the sites in Muang Fai seems impossible due to
the poor state of the plundered sites.
Prasat NN, which is made entirely of bricks resemble
brick towers such as Prasat Thong, Plaibat II and other Baphuon
brick towers from the 10th century. The other sites all have
remnants of laterite blocks, sand stones and bricks indicating
that these constructions predate Jayavarman VII (late 12th - beginning of the 13th century).
The community itself probably dates much further back. The
religious landscape is mixed: A yoni at the museum indicates
Saivism, and various Buddhist schools are represented evidenced
by the discovery of Dvaravati as well as Mahayana figures.
Religious images can change location, buildings not (or
seldom). But the presence of Dvaravati Buddha figures strongly
indicates that this religion was practiced at Ban Fai in the 7th
century. Maybe Hindu Saivism followed; maybe both were practiced
side by side as seen elsewhere. We must anyway assume that both
were replaced by Mahayana Buddhism in the era of Jayavarman VII.
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Left:
Model of Muang Fai at Muang Fai Community Museum
Right:
Moat and dike in Ban Khumuang (the 'Dike community Village') |
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| Figure: GPS-generated map with later
hand drawings. From Prasat Nong Ta
Plaeng and north the dharmasala route would have to cross 2 small
rivers. When the dharmasalas were built the area already
hosted at least 3 moated settlements, probably connected with
roads and associated bridges.
QUESTION: Would the dharmasala-route constructors make a direct
lining and thereby need to construct 2 new bridges - one of them
only 800 m from an
existing one? Or would the routing have departed from Nong Ta Plaeng following the old buffalo-track marked
on the figure above with green, visit
Muang Fai with its 5-6 ancient temples (3) and pass two bridges
and (1) and continue north? It would add
nearly 2 km to a stretch, which already is the longest of the 8
stretches on
the Khorat Plateau - 20.6 km.
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Searching for for traces of an ancient
stone-bridge along the straight alignment between Prasat
Nong Plong to Prasat Ta Plaeng, Buriram, NE-Thailand. |
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1.6: Pictures of dharmasalas in
Cambodia
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Left: Eastern front of
'Dharmasala no. 0' at Angkor
Rigth: Eastern front of Prasat Ta Muan
on the Khorat plateau |
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Left: Interiour from
'Dharmasala no. 0' at Angkor
Rigth: Interiour from Prasat Ta Muan
on the Khorat plateau.
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Dharmasala no. 6:
Left: Prasat Prohm Kel from south-west
Rigth: Prasat Prohm Kel from south
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Left: Eastern front of Prasat
Prohm Kel
Rigth: Interior from Prasat Prohm Kel
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1.7. The ancient stone bridge Spean Top
(BEFEO: 719)
Above: Spean Top Bridge
Right: The relationship between the bridge,
the dharmasala and the orientation of the Dharmasala Route. |
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Above: Details from the bridge:
A 3-headed naga flanked by Garudas in the corners. Note the
8-petaled lotus. Presumable Angkor Wat style. |
1.8 The ancient Khmer stone bridge
'Spean O Kmeng Bridge'
Notes from a 6-hour initial
research-trip in late November 2004.
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Above:
The positions were based on map-readings and estimations about where it
would have been most convenient to build a bridge. |
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Above:
GPS-based map made after field research. The location of the bridge
was 680 west of estimated position. |
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Right and below:
'Spean O Kmeng Bridge' (my name)
O Spean
Khmeng means 'Khmeng-bridge River' and the name itself indicates the
presence of an ancient/old bridge somewhere.
The bridge is made of laterite and is app. 3 m high, 4 m wide and 30 m
long and crosses the river in an east-western direction. The
river/creek is seasonal and was already dry when visited late November
2004. |
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1.9 Ancient Khmer temples along the
Dharmasala Route in NW-Cambodia.
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Prasat Korb Kong
is located 9 km west of Phum Samraong town on Route 69
leading to the more well-known Prasat Banteay Chmar, which is located
50 km from Samrong. Prasat Korb Kong is located 100 m north of Route
69 and is a moated site in a very ruined condition. A short inspection
of the totally overgrown site only revealed parts of a laterite wall
and a piece of Ban Kruat style earthenware, presumably dating to
the 10-11th century - and definitely pre-Bayon and thereby older than
the dharmasalas of Jayavarman VII. The numerous Ban Kruat kilns are
located on the Khorat Plateau 40 km NW of Prasat Korb Kong and pottery
for there were traded along the various ancient routes. |
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Route 69 crosses the O Spean Khmeng
River app. 400 m before arriving to the Tonle Sa
Lake. |
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| Above: Tonle Sa Lake |
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Above: An ancient Khmer pedestal |
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A square
reservoir like the Tonle Sa Lake (literally the 'Oceanic
Reservoir') measuring app. 180 by 370 m and oriented straight E-W)
indicates the presence of a pre-Bayon sanctuary: The ratio of the
dimensions is app. 1:2 and the orientation is equinoctial.
The presence of a
square pedestal standing at the roadside is second indicator. Standing
alone at the roadside it gave the impression of 'being to late for the
bus' or rather being left behind by thieves having no more space on
the truck. On top of the pedestal there are 9 small holes for placing
auspicious objects, typical for pre-Bayon pedestals.
Asking in the small grocery shop next to we were
informed that 50 m south of the shop there are 2 more pedestals on the
remnants of a small moated temple. |
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Above: 'Prasat Tonle Sa' (my
name) is located 100 m south of Tonle Sa Lake |
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Left and right:
A yoni-type Saivite pedestal at Prasat
O Spean Khmeng (my name). |
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Above: Prasat O Spean Khmeng (my
name) is located 150 m S-W of
the
O Spean Khmeng stone bridge and is
like the two previously visited surrounded by moats on all sides and
again in a totally ruined and overgrown state. Our 2 local guides
refused to leave the walk-path due to the danger of land-mines.
So all we observed was a yoni-style pedestal probably used for hosting
a lingam, Shiva's phallic symbol. This and especially the shape of the square moated site indicates that Prasat O Spean Khmeng
too is a pre-Bayon sanctuary and not a dharmasala
from the reign of Jayavarman VII, who was a fervent Mahayana Buddhist. |
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Phum Khpous village
is located app. 10 km N-N-W of Phum Tonle Sa village and the presence
of another
rectangular reservoir made us stop in the modern Buddhist temple
at the western side of the reservoir - the normal location of
an associated ancient Khmer temple.
The reservoir measures app. 110 by 190 m, it is oriented
straight east and is most probably an ancient Khmer baray.
In the temple compound we found a pedestal of unknown
age and a dozen sema stones (border stones) of more recent age. |
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'Prasat Khpuos' or rather: its
associated baray
Above: GPS-generated map |
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The
contemporary Buddhist temple has most probably replaced an ancient Khmer site
and the Dharmasala Route most probably passed the sanctuary and crossed the
seasonal creek at either of the two bridges shown on the map above.
The direct alignment between the
O Spean Khmeng stone bridge and
dharmasala no. 10, Prasat Ta Muan, runs only 40 m west of the bridges.
The presence of three pre-Bayon sanctuaries
between the
O Spean Khmeng stone bridge and Phum Khpous village
informs us that the Dharmasala Route was in use in the centuries before
Jayavarman VII, late 12th - beg. 13th century.
From Phum Khpous village the shortest route to Prasat Phanom
Rung is ascending to the Khorat Plateau at Sai Taku mountain pass 21.2 km
NW at Prasat Bai Baek and the nearby Ban Kruat kilns, but the Dharmasala
Route of Jayavarman VII continued N-N-E to Prasat Ta Muan, 14.8 km away
(as the crows fly). This distance is so close to the average distance
between the dharmasalas in Cambodia (13.2 or 14.9 km - depending on the
number of sites), that one with good reason could expect 'Dharmasala no.
9' to be very close by.
But time was
running out. We had agreed on a 6-hours research trip, as my
Khmer-interpreter had to attend a meeting in Seam Reap. A last-minute tip
on another temple in the forest nearby (by ox-chart and local guides) had
to be postponed. A pity, as the description of the location matched with
the in-field adjusted GPS-alignments.
Next trip: With my Khmer-interpreter and on two good
dirt-bikes dharmasala no. 9 will be found in one day. And within a week
no. 8 and 7 as well.
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On Route 68 to
Seam Reap we made a short stop at another ancient route: Angkor - Sa
Kaew (Thailand) some 10 km before Route 6 (Siem Riep - Aryan Prathat). |
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| Above: The
ancient dike/canal towards west |
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Above: The
ancient dike/canal towards east |
2.0: Links to websites with pictures related to the
Dharmasala Route in Cambodia
2.1.1. A Guide to the Angkor Monuments, by Maurice Glaize:
Download the book
(PDF).
2.1.2, A Guide to the Angkor Monuments:
Preah
Khan.
2.2.1. Art and Archaeology:
Angkor sites.
2.2.2. Art and Archaeology:
Dharmasala ''no. 1'', at Preah Phan.
2.3.1. Angkor Ruins: Index
- a comprehensive collection of photos from many sites.
2.3.2. Angkor Ruins:
Hospital Chapels and Dharmasalas.
2.3.3. Angkor Ruins:
The
royal Road and Stone Bridges.
2.3.4. Angkor Ruins:
Speak Memai Bridge.
3.0: Locations and GPS-position of the 8 known
dharmasalas
|
Name of site |
Village |
Sub-district |
District |
Province |
Latitude |
Longitude |
|
ชื่อแหล่ง |
บ้าน |
ตำบล |
อำเภอ |
|
(north) |
(east) |
|
Ku Sila |
Khok Hin Chang |
Sa Rai |
Chom Phuang |
Khorat |
15.07995 |
102.60320 |
|
กู่ศิลา |
โคกหินช้าง |
สาหร่าย |
ชุมพวง |
|
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Huai Khaen |
Huai Khaen |
Huai Khaen |
Huai Thalaeng |
Khorat |
14.98009 |
102.60320 |
|
ห้วยแคน |
ห้วยแคน |
ห้วยแคน |
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Nong Ta Plaeng |
Nong Ta Plaeng |
Chamni |
Nang Rong |
Buriram |
14.81253 |
102.79719 |
|
หนองตาเปล่ง |
หนองตาเปล่ง |
ชำนิ |
นางรอง |
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Nong Plong |
Nong Plong |
Nong Plong |
Nang Rong |
Buriram |
14.71825 |
102.83619 |
|
หนองปล่อง |
หนองปล่อง |
หนองปล่อง |
นางรอง |
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Nong Kong |
Nong Kong |
Saeng Thong |
Nang Rong |
Buriram |
14.64228 |
102.90576 |
|
หนองกง |
หนองกง |
แสงทอง |
นางรอง |
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Ban Bu |
Bu |
Chorakhae Mak |
Prakhonchai |
Buriram |
14.53379 |
102.97935 |
|
บ้านบุ |
บุ |
จระเข้มาก |
ประโคนชัย |
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Thamo |
Lahanchai Kao |
Hin Lat |
Ban Khruat |
Buriram |
14.45452 |
103.12687 |
|
ถมอ |
ละหานทรายเก่า |
หินลาด |
บ้านกรวด |
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|
Ta Muan |
Nong Khan Na |
Ta Muan |
Phanom Khonkrak |
Surin |
14.35586 |
103.25847 |
|
ปราสาทฅาเมือน |
|
ฅาเมือน |
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Locations and GPS-position of all 61
ancient sites in Buriram province will be brought on a separate web-page.
Locations and GPS-position of ancient sites in the remaining provinces of
N-E Thailand are now yet completely registered.
Equipment: Garmin GPS 12.
GPS-data:
Map datum:WGS 84 / CDI: plus/minus 0.25 / Units: Metric / Headings: true
bearing.
Words with capital letters in the first column are 6-ciffred GPS
locations.
Positions in italics followed by (F.A.D.) are not updated. F.A.D. position
is used instead.
Phanom Rung seen from Prasat Nong Kong
4.0: Distances, alignments
and orientations:
The distances and the alignments between the dharmasalas and the
orientations of the dharmasalas itself vary considerably.
4.1.
Distances and alignments between the dharmasalas:
|
From site
to site |
Distanceท |
Alignmentท |
|
Ta Muan to Ta
Mo |
17.786ท |
307.68ท |
|
Ta Mo to Ban
Bu |
18.132ท |
298.98ท |
|
Ban Bu to
Nong Kong |
14.634ท |
326.68ท |
|
Nong Kong to
Nong Plong |
11.243ท |
318.38ท |
|
Nong Plong to
Nong Ta Plaeng |
11.227ท |
338.18ท |
|
Nong Ta
Plaeng to Huai Khaen |
20.587ท |
334.08ท |
|
Huai Khaen to
Ku Sila |
16.171ท |
313.08ท |
|
Ku Sila to
Phimai Southern Barai |
16.163ท |
318.98ท |
NB: The distances are
in km and the alignments in true bearings.
4.2. Distances and
alignments Angkor – Ta Muan – Phimai:
|
From site
to site |
Distanceท |
Alignmentท |
|
Angkor (Preah
Khan) to Phimai (S-barai) |
240.468ท |
322.48ท |
|
Angkor (Preah
Khan) to Ta Muan |
118.233ท |
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