សំបូរព្រៃគុហ៍ | |
 Map of the Sambor Prei Kuk site | |
| Alternative name | Isanapura |
|---|---|
| Location | Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia |
| Region | Southeast Asia |
| Coordinates | 12°52′15″N 105°2′35″E / 12.87083°N 105.04306°E |
| History | |
| Builder | Isanavarman I |
| Founded | 7th century |
| Periods | Middle Ages |
| Site notes | |
| Official name | Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Isanapura |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, vi |
| Designated | 2017 (41st session) |
| Reference no. | 1532 |
| Region | Southeast Asia |
Sambor Prei Kuk (Isanapura) (Khmer: សំបូរព្រៃគុហ៍, Sâmbor Prey Kŭh [sɑmboː prəj kuʔ]) is an archaeological site in Cambodia located in Kampong Thom Province, 30 km (19 mi) north of Kampong Thom, the provincial capital, 176 km (109 mi) east of Angkor and 206 km (128 mi) north of Phnom Penh. The now ruined complex dates back to the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom (late 6th to 9th century), established by king Isanavarman I as central royal sanctuary and capital, known then as "Isanapura" (Khmer: ឦសានបុរៈ, Eisanbŏreă [ʔəjsaːnɓoreaʔ]).[1][2] In 2017, Sambor Prei Kuk was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]
Located on the Eastern bank of the Tonle Sap lake, close to the Steung Saen River, the central part of Sambor Prei Kuk is divided into three main groups. Each group has a square layout surrounded by a brick wall. The structures of the overall archaeological area were constructed at variable times: the southern and north groups (7th century) by Isanavarman I, who is considered a possible founder of the city[4] and the central group (later date). The buildings of Sambor Prei Kuk are characteristic of the Pre-Angkorean period with a simple external plan. The principal material is brick, but sandstone is also used for certain structures.[5] Architectural features include numerous prasats, octagonal towers, shiva lingams and yonis, ponds and reservoirs, and lion sculptures. Sambor Prei Kuk is located amidst mature sub-tropical forests with limited undergrowth. The area has been mined and could still contain unexploded ordnance.[6]
- ^ Higham, C., 2014, Early Mainland Southeast Asia, Bangkok: River Books Co., Ltd., ISBN 9786167339443
- ^ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
- ^ "Sites in Cambodia, China and India added to UNESCO's World Heritage List". UNESCO. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
- ^ Higham, Charles (May 11, 1989). The Archaeology of Mainland Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 265–267. ISBN 9780521275255.
- ^ Groupe de Sambor Prei Kuk - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- ^ Gnarfgnarf:Sambor Prei Kuk : a pre-Angkorian gem in the forest, 20 November 2010, retrieved on 3 May 2012