The Great Pyramid of Prasat Thom (August 2006 )

Koh Ker  was the Capital of the Khmer Empire  for a very brief period from the year 928 to 944 AD.    In this short time; some very spectacular buildings and immense sculptures were constructed.  Left to the the jungle for nearly a  millennium and  mostly un-restored; this great archaeological site has been rarely visited until very recently.

These photos were taken between January  2005 and Feb 2007

The  decorations on top of the enclosure wall

Prasat Krahom with police guard,  showing the huge doorway

A break for lunch

The ancient Khmer city is in a distant jungle location with up to a hundred ruined temples including a huge stepped pyramid; the largest in the region. More ancient temples are being found in the jungle; so there is a true sense of discovery here. 

Many of the  temples were built in brick using a mortar made from tree sap. It is quite remarkable how well they have stood up to the test of time

Inside the brick tower of Prasat Krahom using 10mm lens

The red brick tower of

Prasat Krahom

The Causeway with Prasat Krahom 

Koh Ker is a very important Khmer archaeological site and is undergoing development  for tourism. Up till late 2004  the roads were extremely difficult and only a very few determined people had  ever been here. In 2004/05 a new road linking Beng Mealea has been cut through the forest. This new road will eventually go to the Thai Border at O’Samach. The new  road now makes Koh Ker accessible as a long day trip.

Three of the five towers of Prasat Pram (May 2005)

For the Photographer; Koh Ker is a paradise for those who want to see the interaction between man made structures and nature without the crowds of tourists.   The rich red bricks contrast with the foliage and the patches of light from the trees.

Carved door support

Doors within doors

  Interior of linga shrine using  10mm ultra wide lens

Gable Fragment

Koh Ker is not the easiest temple to get to as involves an early start and a journey of 2 hours  to get there. There are few  tourist facilities as present; just some open air food stalls and a new WC block which opened in January 2007. This remote area has no towns and only a small village in cleared forest nearby. There is a village Sra Yong a few kilometres away. There is a guest house 10kms away which has a few basic rooms . There is no electric supply and only a limited cell phone service; so advance booking rooms here is difficult.

Getting up early for Koh Ker can bring many visual rewards; The top of Prasat Thom Pyramid is one of the most spectacular places for Sunrise in Cambodia. At only 35 metres high; the views are out of proportion to the height, On a good day one can see from Koulen Mountain in the south, to the Dangrek Mountains and Preah Vihear on the Thai border.

In December 06 we saw a spectacular mist forming that carpeted the forest as far a s the eye could see. As the sun rose, a Brocken Spectre formed. A Brocken Spectre is a rare phenomena which is your own shadow surrounded by a halo falling on clouds below. It is rare enough in high mountains; but to see one from a 35metre monument in a tropical location must be very rare indeed!

Mist through the trees seen behind the ruins of the

East Gopura of Prasat Thom

Ta climbing down the near vertical stairs of Prasat Thom 

Last but not least: a huge Linga to linger over!

One of several Linga temples to the east of the large reservoir of Rahal to the SE of Prasat Thom. They are of almost identical construction.

This one is the best preserved and clearly shows the drainage channel of the Yoni, the symbolic female organ

All images and text © Dave Perkes 2007 www.peaceofangkor.com

Peace of Angkor Villa  0133 Slorkram Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia    PO Box 93125      Email us ( 855 (0)63 760 475