Determining the construction sequence of the Preah Vihear monument in Cambodia from its sandstone block characteristics

Etsuo Uchida,Ichita Shimoda,Ryota Watanabe,Akinori Mizoguchi,Hiroya Sato

doi:10.1186/s40494-017-0155-0

Etsuo Uchida, Ichita Shimoda + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-017-0155-0

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Abstract

The Preah Vihear monument in Cambodia, located close to the border with Thailand, was one of the Khmer temples registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a Cultural Property in 2008. It consists of masonry buildings constructed of siliceous sandstone blocks. In this study, the construction sequence of its buildings was inferred from the chemical composition, magnetic susceptibility, and size of the sandstone blocks, along with pediment end style, and the presence or absence of reliefs on the tympana of adjacent buildings. Five construction stages were identified. We revealed that the Western Annex Hall (N2) is the oldest edifice in the Preah Vihear monument. We also reconfirmed that the Preah Vihear monument was constructed over a range of years, spanning the Bakheng style period to the Angkor Wat style period (the end of the 9th century to the end of 12th century). It was clarified that during the construction of Preah Vihear, the style of pediment ends changed from pediments ending in scrolls made from one block, to pediments ending in scrolls made from two blocks, and finally to pediments ending in five-headed nagas. Over the same time span, the size of the sandstone blocks used in construction increased markedly.

Highlights

The Preah Vihear monument in Cambodia is located near to the border with Thailand, on the southern margin of the Khorat Plateau (Fig. 1) [1,2,3] and consists of masonry buildings constructed from sandstone blocks
Magnetic susceptibility The siliceous sandstone blocks used in the Preah Vihear monument have low magnetic susceptibilities, with average values in the range of 0.011–0.068 × 10−3 SI units
Using sandstone block chemical and magnetic characteristics, as well as stone arrangement and decoration, a construction sequence for the buildings in the Preah Vihear monument was established comprising five stages. The buildings and their distinctive stone characteristics are outlined below in order of their construction: First stage: initial construction of the upper structure of the central part and platform of the Western Annex Hall (N2) took place to form the oldest edifice in the Preah Vihear monument

Summary

Introduction

The Preah Vihear monument in Cambodia is located near to the border with Thailand (it is called Khao Phra Wihan in Thailand), on the southern margin of the Khorat Plateau (Fig. 1) [1,2,3] and consists of masonry buildings constructed from sandstone blocks. The study of the Preah Vihear monument was initiated by Barth [4] and Bergaigne [5] and followed by Aymonier [6], Lunet de Lajonquiere [7], Groslier [8], Parmentier [9], Cœdès [10], Jacques and Freeman [11], and Sahai [12]. These studies were conducted from architectural and art-historical viewpoints or based on inscriptions. Groslier [8] and Parmentier [9] considered that the Preah Vihear monument consisted originally of wooden buildings and they were later replaced by masonry buildings

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