Literature studies on the dating of the brick towers:
 

Ref. I: "The brick towers may have been the first constructed as they belong to the Bakheng Period (893 – ca. 925 AD)" (p.11). On page 109, referring to Jean Boisselier (Le Cambodge, p. 154), he mentions Bakheng to early Kor Ker style and the discovery artefacts in Kor Ker style found in the vicinity, and states the ages to the beginning of the first half part of the 15 century BE. (my translation). Boisselier, Jean. Le Cambodge. Manuel d'Archeologie d'Extreme Orient. Paris 1966. Suriyawudh Suksvasti, Prasat Khao Phanom Rung, (Thai), Bangkok, 2531 / 1988. Ref. II ''The age of the brick towers can be dated to the 15th century BE.'' (p. 57), which is repeated in the 2000 edition on page 75 (my translation). Note: 15th century BE. = 9th century AD. Silpakorn. (Fine Arts Department). That Phanom Rung. (Thai), Bangkok, 2526 BE / 1983 AD.

Ref. III ''The present structure overlies a series of earlier brick temples which, to judge from the earliest of eleven inscriptions found at That Phanom Rung, go back at least to the 7th or 8th centuries'' (Page 200). Charles Higham & Rachanee Thorarat: Prehistoric Thailand – From Early settlements to Sukhothai. Bangkok 1988. Ref. IV ''The colonettes still standing are stylistically from the Koh Ker period, so these brick structures must date to around the early 10th century'' (Page 28). Michael Freeman. Prasat Phnom Rung and Muang Tam. Bangkok. 1998. Ref. V ''The earliest inscription of all was carved in the 7th or 8th century, at least a century before the earliest buildings that can be seen today'' (Page 100). Michael Freeman. A guide to Khmer temples in Thailand and Laos. Bangkok. 1996.

Above: Kor Ker style Brahma, Phimai Museum.

     On the top of another extinct volcano 5 km due south of Phanom Rung there is another ancient Khmer temple, Prasat Plai Bat I. An inscription excavated there informs us about the installation of a Ganesh figure and F.A.D. (Fine Arts Department, Phanom Rung Historical Park) informs that Prasat Plai Bat I ''is built in Koh Ker style in the 10th century'' and that ''a Sanskrit mentions the year 925. (Jayavarman IV), a Khmer mentions the year 921 and Sri Harshavarman'' as the year the Ganesh was installed. Sri Harsavarman (Harsavarman I) was the donor of the Ganesh statue.

     This parallels Boisselier's dating of the Phanom Rung brick towers: Bakheng to early Kor Ker, the beginning of the 10th century - a view shared by Higham & Rachanee, and Freeman. At both brick constructions we have the worship of a Ganesh figure. And neither site is oriented straight true east: Phanom Rung is 84.5º and the very ruined eastern doorway of Plai Bat I is estimated by the author to be approximately 82.0º true east (the looters at Plai Bat I and II used dynamite...).

      In the dating of the brick towers at Phanom Rung Higham & Rachanee goes even further back in time: ''The present structure overlies a series of earlier brick temples which, to judge from the earliest of eleven inscriptions found at That Phanom Rung, go back at least to the 7th or 8th centuries'', which brings us back to the oldest artefact found during the excavations, the Ganesh figure in Prei Khmeng style (c.655–c.690 / Jayavarman I).
     The author has not read the mentioned inscriptions.

     The brick towers can therefore with reason be dated to at least early 9th century - and maybe even to the 7th century.
     And one could with reason argue that there, before the construction in imperishable materials, could have been been earlier constructions made of wood. Excavations at Prasat Phimai and Prasat Phanom Wan has revealed that these sites were in use before the construction of the present stone temples.
     A final argument for an antique dating of Phanom Rung as a religious site is that the elevated location invites to religious conduct and that man from early would have been attracted by the unique location.
     The oldest known Khmer temple in southern Isan is Prasat Phum Phon in neighbouring Surin province, from where the type of Indian letters on an inscription indicates an origin going back to the 7th century. Phum Phon is orientated 90.0º true east and is located on flat land 95 km due east of Phanom Rung.
 

     The author has therefore chosen to use year 600 AD as a starting point for astronomical calculations (planetary transits, conjunctions, eclipses etc.). A paper on celestial events from 600 Ad to 1200 AD is under preparation.

 

C: Orientation of the centreline

     The determination of the orientation of Prasat Phanom Rung is based on observations of sunsets and sunrises aligned with the 15 doorways of the temple: 84.5° true east.

Above: The door of the central sanctuary of the old brick towers seen from east.		Above: The orientation of the old brick towers (top) is similar to the orientation of later structures.		Above: The door of the central sanctuary of the old brick towers seen from west.

     The architects of the later constructions have chosen to use the same orientation as the brick towers. But there is anyway a conceptual difference between the earlier and later constructions: The central sanctuary of the brick towers and the later Prang Noi have only one door, which faces east, but the 15 doorways of the Angkor Wat style construction opens at both east and west, with east as the primary orientation. The latter concept gives opportunities for the rising and setting sun to penetrate the temple.
     The time span within the rays of the rising sun will illuminate a sacred figure in the central sanctuaries differ as well. In the case of the brick tower the period is approximately 3 weeks starting right after vernal equinox. The long narrow corridors of the 12th century construction only allows the sun to penetrate for 3 days.
     It seems like the 12th century architects cared for the possibility of the penetration of the rays of the sun: When they build the corridors surrounding the new central sanctuary, they constructed a door straight 84.5° east of Prang Noi - opening 'a window' to to the auspicious sunrise (see red double line on plan below). This 'window' was closed again when the Jayavarman VII 'library' was built. In the western walls there was another 'window' - west of the blind door of Prang Noi. The brick towers were not cared for, maybe because these structures were collapsed or dismantled already.

 

 

D: Artefacts with relevance to astronomy

 

The guardians of the cardinal directions (the dikpalas):

Indra is the king of the Vedic gods and the god of  the monsoon, rain and thunder, and guard and maintainer of the eastern direction - the principal direction. He rides the three headed elephant Airavata and carries the vajra as his weapon.
Agni is the God of fire, he rides a rhinoceros and guards the SE direction. 
Skanda is the God of war. His vehicle is a peacock and he guards the southern direction. 
Niriti is the God of death and corruption. On a yaksa (a giant) he  guards the SW. 
Varuna, God of seas and rivers. His vehicle is a naga (a mythological serpent) and he guards the western direction.
Vayu is the God of the wind. He rides a horse and guards NW. 
Kuvera is the God of wealth and prosperity. On a gajasimha (a lion with an elephants head) he guards the northern direction,
Isana rides a bull. He is an aspect of Shiva who rides the bull Nandin, and he guards the NE
Brahma is the creator of all things. On a hamsa (a sacred goose) he guards the upper worlds.
Yama rides a buffalo and guards the lower worlds.

     It has been argued whether there are eight or ten guardians. Having only eight the spatial concept is 2-dimentional. Adding two for up and down the spatial concept becomes 3-dimentional - like the universe.

	All Hindu Gods can be recognized by their vehicles, weapons, hair, adornments etc.      Six cubes (Indra, Agni, Varuna, Kuvera, Brahma, and Isana) and five statues of the guardians vehicles (Airavata, rhinoceros, buffalo/ox, gajasimha, and hamsa) are exhibited at Phimai Museum. Replicas are exhibited at Phanom Rung either in the temple or at the exhibition room.
Above: Indra on Airavata (Phimai)		Above: Isana on bull (Phimai)

Above: Skanda on peacock (Phimai)		Above: Varuna on naga (Phimai)		Above: Kuvera on gajasamsa (Phimai)
Above: Airavata (Replica)		Above: Gajasimha (Phimai)		Above: Nandin (Phimai)
Sculptures of the vehicles of the Dikpalas are unique for Prasat Phanom Rung. Three of them are shown above.   The dikpalas are also depicted on the central sanctuary - and in several layers:

						Above: Northern facede: Brahma, the creator of all things, on hamsas (a sacred goose) guarding the upper worlds
		Above: Southern facade, 2nd tier: Yama on a buffalo?		Above: Eastern facade, 2nd tier: Indra on Airavata
						Above: Northern facade, 1st tier: Kuvera on gajasimha?
Above: Southern facade		Above: Southern facade, 1st tier: Yama on a buffalo?		Above: Northern facade, 1st tier: Kuvera on gajasimha

 

Plumps and models:

Left: Models of central sanctuaries could be used to check how the shadows of a construction will be throughout the year. As a test model the architect could either use the sun, which would take a year, or use the moon which would limit the test period to one lunar month.      No models were found at Phanom Rung. Right: Plumbs found in the eastern corridor of Prasat Phanom Rung. Plumps are mostly regarded as construction tools, but are also very essential tools in astronomy as the shadow of a plumb-string is perpendicular to a levelled floor.

 

Eight-petaled-lotus mandalas

Mandalas in the shape of 'eight petalled lotus flowers' resembling a 'compass rose' are depicted at various places at Phanom Rung. The largest of these can be seen on the first and second naga-bridge, the latter just outside the eastern doorway. The smallest are found engraved on small gold leaves, which were used for offerings when a temple was consecrated. The mandalas are interpreted in various ways: 'Decorative', 'the eight aspects of Shiva', 'for religious purposes' or for 'depicting the cardinal directions'.
		Above: Part of an 'eight-petalled lotus flower' engraved on the floor outside the eastern door-way.

Above: Pattern on the top of a dikpala cube.		Above: Lintel from the temple exhibited at Phanom Rung Information Centre.		Above: From the floor inside Prasat Phanom Rung.

Right: Engraved gold leaves used for offerings when a temple was consecrated and are found at several sites but not at Prasat Phanom Rung (exhibited at Phimai Museum) .

The nine celestial deities (the navagrahas):      No depictions of the navagrahas, the nine celestial deities, are found at Phanom Rung.      Depictions of navagrahas are found elsewhere in Isan, and always in Khleang - Baphoun style temples such as Prasat Khamphaeng Yai, Surin, Prasat Puai Noi, Khon Kaen, Prasat Phra Narai, Khorat, Prang Thong, Khorat, and Prasat Ban Ben, Ubon. In Cambodia a Baphoun style navagraha depiction is found at Prasat Ak Yom. The Khmer navagraha concept probably dates further back, at least to Banteay Srey,  mid 10th century. The Khmer navagrahas differ from their Indian origin.      A special paper on the navagrahas in under preparation. Right:Surya (sun) and Chandra (moon) Below: A navagraha depiction from Prasat Khampaeng Yai.

 

 

INDEX

18 November 2004 © Asger Mollerup

macsida@thai-isan-lao.com

www.thai-isan-lao.com

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