Phnom Bok

Coordinates: 13°27′58″N 103°58′55″E / 13.46611°N 103.98194°E / 13.46611; 103.98194
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Phnom Bok
Phnom Bok hill
Highest point
Elevation205 m (673 ft)[1]
Coordinates13°27′57″N 103°58′59″E / 13.46583°N 103.98306°E / 13.46583; 103.98306
Geography
Phnom Bok is located in Cambodia
Phnom Bok
Phnom Bok
Location in Cambodia
LocationSiem Reap, Cambodia
Climbing
Easiest routedrive or hike
Phnom Bok Temple
Prasat Phnom Bok
Bakheng style of Khmer architecture
CreatorKing Yasovarman I (889–910 AD)
Completed9th–10th century
Specifications
Temple(s)Three
Elevation221 m (725 ft)
Head of Brahma in sandstone from the Phnom Bok in Bakheng style now in Guimet Museum in Paris.
Head of Vishnu in sandstone from the Phnom Bok in Bakheng style now in Guimet Museum in Paris.
Head of Shiva in sandstone from the Phnom Bok in Bakheng style now in Guimet Museum in Paris of the trimurti or trimvarite of Hindu pantheon
This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

Phnom Bok (

Yasodharapura. The two other sister temples, named after the contiguous hills, are the Phnom Bakheng and Phnom Krom.[3]: 113 [4][5]

The site of the three hills was chosen by Yashovarman I along with the Eastern Baray (where only the base of the central shrine is surviving). In the 10th century, these shrines had high religious value during the Angkorian rule.[6] The temples called as part of an "architectural triad" brought about an element of experimentation in architectural style in the Angkorian period.[7] From the astronomical references planned for three temples, out of the four noted alignments three, namely, equinox and winter and Solar Solstices could be observed from inside the western entrance of Phnom Bok hill temple, which is also known for the triple sanctuary dedicated to the Trimurti.

Geography

Map

Phnom Bok is the third natural hill site.[8] Its elevation is 221 metres (725 ft).[6] The hill is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Siem Reap. It is approached from the road to Banteay Srei. An eastbound road leads to Banteay Samré for another 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from whence the hill is approached through 635 wide steps leading to the top where the Phnom Bok temple is situated. From the top of this mountain, though the temple is seen mostly in ruins, the panoramic vistas seen all round are of the Tonlé Sap Lake, the Phnom Kulen to the north and vast plains of rice fields to the south.[4][5][9] Like Phnom Krom, Phnom Bok consists of sandstone which has a relatively high magnetic susceptibility.[10]

History

Yasovarman I, son of

linga, which surpassed his father's Indresvara and named it as Yashodaresvara. He also named his capital as Yashodarapura, which became the first capital city of Angkor. He, however, installed the Trimurtis in the temples on the other two hills of Phnom Bok and Phnom Krom.[13]
Statues of the Hindu Trimurti were found at both Phnom Bok and Phnom Krom.[14]

Architecture

Prasat Phnom Bok, rectangular in shape and attributed to the reign of Yasovarman I, is similar in design to the Phnom Krom prasat. However, while the Phnom Krom central tower is higher than the other two flanking towers, the Phnom Bok prasat has three identical sanctum towers in a row on a single terrace.[6][15][16]

The temple is an Angkor monument. It is dedicated to the

plinth made of laterite stone. Frontons of Bakheng and Phnom Bok are said to "represent heads of the entire thirty-three deities of the Hindu pantheon.[14] There is said to be a "fine example of the head of Shiva in the Chandrasekhara form with the moon prominent on his locks" at the temple.[17] The summer solstice occurring over Phnom Bok hill temple, which had the images of Trimurtis defied in it, can be observed from the temple's western entrance.[13][18][19]

Angkor monuments built in Angkor period architecture in Bakheng style[15] were made of sandstone and laterite but brickwork was also adopted. Laterite has been used for the walls, platforms and pavements. Greyish yellow sandstone was the main stonework used in the temples.[15]

Though the temple is in a good condition, there is over growth of two large

frangipani (Plumeria) trees over the ruined temple towers. It is said that when the flowers bloom on these trees, the appearance of "some sort of extravagant haircut" is discerned.[4]

References

  1. ^ Google Earth
  2. ISBN 9781842125847
  3. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1
    .
  4. ^ a b c d Lonely Planet Publications (Firm) (1992). Cambodia: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet Publications. pp. 132, 172. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Phnom Bok". Theangkor.net. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-90-04-11346-6
    . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  7. ISBN 978-957-01-0880-4
    . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  8. ISBN 978-957-01-0880-4
    . Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  9. ^ Nick Ray; Greg Bloom; Daniel Robinson. Cambodia. Lonely Planet. pp. 188–. GGKEY:ALKFLS6LY8Y. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  10. ^ Engineering geology. Elsevier Pub. Co. 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  11. ^ Vecchia, Stefano (2007). Khmer: history and treasures of an ancient civilization. White Star. p. 80. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  12. ISBN 978-81-7017-006-8
    . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  13. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1. Retrieved 22 May 2011. He was satisfied to construct a trimurti
    on each of the other two hills
  14. ^
    ISBN 978-974-8434-93-3
    . Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  15. ^
    ISBN 978-0-444-50505-7
    . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  16. ISBN 978-90-04-10215-6
    . Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  17. ISBN 978-0-8109-0630-3
    . Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  18. ISBN 978-1-4419-7623-9
    . Retrieved 25 May 2011. …site bears extensive astronomical references, among which are planned locations for observation of solar and lunar alignments, and the placement and content of bas reliefs according to the movement of the Sun through the seasons. Stencil et al. (1976) found a total of 18 alignments from various positions from inside the complex. Paris (1941) had previously noted four, three of which (equinox and winter and solar solstices) are observable from jus inside the western entrance.
  19. ISBN 978-1-4116-8326-6
    . Retrieved 27 May 2011.
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