Banteay Chhmar

Banteay Chhmar

បន្ទាយឆ្មារ
Banteay Chhmar បន្ទាយឆ្មារ
Commune and village
	Banteay Chhmar Temple
	Banteay Chhmar Location within Cambodia
	Coordinates: 14°4′16″N 103°5′59″E / 14.07111°N 103.09972°E
Country	Cambodia
Province	Banteay Meanchey
District	Thma Puok District
Villages	14
Time zone	UTC+07

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

Banteay Chhmar (Khmer: បន្ទាយឆ្មារ pronounced [ɓɑːn.tiəj.cʰmaː], lit. 'The Mini Fortress') is a commune (khum) in Thma Puok District in Banteay Meanchey province in northwest Cambodia. It is located 63 km north of provincial capital Sisophon and about 20 km east of the Thai border. The commune of Banteay Chhmar contains 14 villages.

The massive temple of Banteay Chhmar, along with its satellite shrines and reservoir (baray), comprises one of the most important and least understood archaeological complexes from Cambodia's Angkor period.

History

A prince battles a demon (north section of west gallery, third enclosure wall)

Like Angkor Thom, the temple of Banteay Chhmar was constructed during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the late 12th or early 13th century. One of the temple's shrines once held an image of Srindrakumararajaputra (the crown prince), a son of Jayavarman VII who died before him.^[1]^{: 131–132} The temple doors record Yasovarman I's failed invasion of Champa.^[2]^: 54

The long Old Khmer inscription found at the site (K.227), and now on display in the National Museum, Phnom Penh, relates how Prince Srindrakumara was protected on two occasions by four companions in arms, once against Rahu, and once on a military campaign against Champa. Their four statues, with one of the prince, was placed in the central chapel.^[3]^{: 176, 180}

Another bas-relief states Yasovarman II was attacked by Rahu, but "saved by a young prince."^[3]^: 163

The site

Archaeological reconstruction of the central complex of Banteay Chhmar Temple

The complex resembles Angkor Thom and other structures attributed to Jayavarman VII. It is one of two sites outside Angkor with the enigmatic face-towers. Besides that, its outer gallery is carved with bas-reliefs depicting military engagements and daily life scenes very similar to the well-known ones in Bayon.^[3]^{: 169–170}^[4]

The complex is oriented to the east, where there's a dried baray (about 1.6 by 0.8 km), which had a temple on an artificial island (mebon) in its centre. There are three enclosures, as typical. The external one, largely ruined, was 1.9 by 1.7 km and surrounded by a moat. The middle enclosure, provided with a moat too, is 850 by 800 m. It contains the main temple, surrounded by a gallery with reliefs 250 by 200 m which constitutes the third inner enclosure.^[5]

Besides the main temple and the mebon there are other eight secondary temples. Four stelae detailing Jayavarman VII's genealogy were placed (though they remain unfinished) at each of the four corners of the third enclosure wall, mirroring the stelae that occupied the four corner-shrines (Prasat Chrung) of the king's capital at Angkor Thom.

Modern threats

Because of its remote location and its proximity to the Thai border, the complex has been subjected to severe looting, especially in the 1990s.^[6]^{: 385–386} In 1998, 2000 and 2002 the temple was listed by the World Monuments Fund as one of the top one hundred most endangered sites in the world.^[7]

For example, in 1998 a group of soldiers stole a 30-metre section of the southern wall.^[8] The bas-reliefs of Banteay Chhmar once displayed eight exceptional Avalokiteśvaras in the west gallery, but now only two remain. In January 1999 looters dismantled sections of the western gallery wall containing these bas-reliefs. They were intercepted by Thai police and 117 sandstone pieces of the wall were recovered. They are now on display in the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

Villages

Kouk Samraong(គោកសំរោង)
Koet(កើត)
Kbal Tonsaong(ក្បាលទន្សោង)
Banteay Chhmar Cheung(បន្ទាយឆ្មារជើង)
Bangtey Chmar Khang Lech(បន្ទាយឆ្មារលិច)
Kbal Krabei(ក្បាលក្របី)
Banteay Chhmar Tboung(បន្ទាយឆ្មារត្បូង)
Trapeim Thlok
Thma Daekkeh(ថ្មដែកកេះ)
Thlok(ថ្លុក)
Kouk Samraong Lech(គោកសំរោងលិច)
Srah Chrey(ស្រះជ្រៃ)
Prey Changha(ព្រៃចង្ហារ)
Prasat Tbeng(ប្រាសាទត្បែង)
Dang Rek(ដងរែក)

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on March 27, 2020 (originally proclaimed September 1, 1992) in the Cultural category.^[9]

References

^ Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 9781842125847
^ Maspero, G., 2002, The Champa Kingdom, Bangkok: White Lotus Co., Ltd., ISBN 9789747534993
^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ Bacus, Elisabeth A.; Glover, Ian C.; Sharrock, Peter D., eds. (July 31, 2009). Interpreting Southeast Asia's Past: Monument, Image and Text. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 13–24. ISBN 978-9971-69-405-0.
^ Banteay Chhmar on CISARK site Archived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ Higham, C., 2014, Early Mainland Southeast Asia, Bangkok: River Books Co., Ltd., ISBN 9786167339443
^ World Monuments Watch 1996-2008
^ Lafont, Masha (2004). Pillaging Cambodia: the illicit traffic in Khmer art. McFarland & Company. pp. 52–56. ISBN 978-0-7864-1933-3.
^ - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Bibliography

Freeman, Michael (1998). A Guide to Khmer Temples in Thailand and Laos. Weatherhill. ISBN 978-0-8348-0450-0.
Bruguier, Bruno (2015). Banteay Chhmar et les provinces occidentales. JSRC. ISBN 9-789924-900009

External links

[Higham-1] Higham, C., 2001, The Civilization of Angkor, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 9781842125847

[Maspero-2] Maspero, G., 2002, The Champa Kingdom, Bangkok: White Lotus Co., Ltd., ISBN 9789747534993

[Coedes-3] 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.

[isa-4] Bacus, Elisabeth A.; Glover, Ian C.; Sharrock, Peter D., eds. (July 31, 2009). Interpreting Southeast Asia's Past: Monument, Image and Text. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 13–24. ISBN 978-9971-69-405-0.

[CISARK-5] Banteay Chhmar on CISARK site Archived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[Higham1-6] Higham, C., 2014, Early Mainland Southeast Asia, Bangkok: River Books Co., Ltd., ISBN 9786167339443

[World_Monuments_Watch_1996-2008-7] World Monuments Watch 1996-2008

[pillaging-8] Lafont, Masha (2004). Pillaging Cambodia: the illicit traffic in Khmer art. McFarland & Company. pp. 52–56. ISBN 978-0-7864-1933-3.

[9] - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

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v t e Banteay Meanchey province
Capital: Serei Saophoan
Mongkol Borei District	Banteay Neang Bat Trang Chamnaom Kouk Ballangk Koy Maeng Ou Prasat Phnum Touch Rohat Tuek Ruessei Kraok Sambuor Soea Srah Reang Ta Lam
Phnum Srok District	Nam Tau Poy Char Phnum Dei Ponley Spean Sraeng Srah Chik
Preah Netr Preah District	Chnuor Mean Chey Chob Vari Phnum Lieb Prasat Preah Netr Preah Rohal Tean Kam Tuek Chour Bos Sbov
Ou Chrov District	Changha Koub Kuttasat Samraong Souphi Soengh Ou Beichaon
Serei Saophoan Municipality (city)	Kampong Svay Kaoh Pong Satv Mkak Ou Ambel Phniet Preah Ponlea Tuek Thla
Thma Puok District	Banteay Chhmar Kouk Romiet Phum Thmei Thma Puok Kouk Kakthen Kumru
Svay Chek District	Phkoam Sarongk Sla Kram Svay Chek Ta Baen Ta Phou Treas Roluos
Malai District	Boeng Beng Malai Ou Sampoar Ou Sralau Tuol Pongro Ta Kong
Poipet Municipality (city)	Nimit Poipet Phsar Kandal

v t e Protected areas of Cambodia
National Parks	Botum Sakor National Park Central Cardamom Mountains National Park Hun Sen Russei Trep National Park Kep National Park Kirirom National Park Koh Rong Marine National Park O'Yadav National Park Phnom Kulen National Park Preah Monivong National Park Ream National Park Southern Cardamom National Park Vensai Siempang National Park Virachey National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries	Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuary Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Sankos Wildlife Sanctuary Phnom Thnout-Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary Prek Prasab Wildlife Sanctuary Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary Sambor Wildlife Sanctuary Sanka Rokhavan Wildlife Sanctuary Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary Sre Pok Wildlife Sanctuary Stung Sen Wildlife Sanctuary Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary
Protected Landscapes	An Long Pring Ang Trapeng Thmor Angkor Banteay Chhmar Boeng Lomkod Boeng Prektub Boeung Prek Lpov North Tonle Sap Phnom Krang Dey Meas Prasat Bakan (Kampong Svay) Preah Vihear Roneam Daun Sam Sambor Prey Kok Temple Yak Oum-Yakara
Multiple Use Areas	Boeng Chhmar Multiple Use Area Boeng Yeak Laom Multiple Use Area Dong Peng Multiple Use Area Kbal Chay Multiple Use Area Phnom Neang Kong Rey Multiple Use Area Prek Toal Multiple Use Area Punchearkrek Multiple Use Area Samlaut Multiple Use Area Sorsor Sdam Sat Tor Multiple Use Area Stung Sen Multiple Use Area Tonle Sap Multiple Use Area
Natural Heritage Sites	Phnom Tbeng Natural Heritage Park Phnom Yat Natural Heritage Park
Other	Boeng Tonle Chhmar Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve Stung Treng Ramsar Koh Kae Protected Resort
Former protected areas	Roneam Daun Sam Wildlife Sanctuary Snoul Wildlife Sanctuary