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SculptureThe lintel from the north of Prasat Khao Noi
It is a rectangular-shaped lintel. Straight lines with curved ends cross the center of the lintel. The lines are decorated with 5 oval patterns; the inside and outside of the oval patterns are decorated. Under the straight lines are engraved patterns of garlands and a bunch of flowers. Next to both curved ends there is a standing lion supported by a square base. The lower part of the base shows Kanok pattern.
SculptureThe lintel from the north of Prasat Khao Noi
It is a rectangular-shaped lintel. The middle is engraved with 4 consecutive curved circles. The confluence of each arc is decorated with an oval pattern. Inside the oval pattern is decorated with an image of an angel on a vehicle. Under the curved lines are engraved patterns of garlands and a bunch of flowers. Next to both curved ends is a dragon facing inward with Its mouth open as if it is blowing out an arc of fire. There is an image of a person sitting above the dragon and the dragon is supported by a square base.
SculptureArdhanarishvara
Ardhanarishvara is positioned sitting cross-legged or yokasana supported by a rectangular base decorated with lotus petals. Both arms were broken, so the gesture is unable to be identified. On the right side of the sculpture is Shiva viewed from the flat chest. On the left side is Aumadavi viewed from the visible breast. In addition, the difference between the two can be seen from their dresses. The dress of Shiva is short in at knee length while the one of Aumadavi is at shin length.
ArchitecturePrasat Sa Kamphaeng Yai
The prasat has a crooked balcony surrounded in a square shape. Inside the crooked balcony, there are 6 buildings, three of the principle prasats are located on the same base. At the front there are 2 Banalais in rectangular diagrams, and at the back there is one more prasat which is indented to the south, that makes imbalance to the diagram.The principle prasat was built using both sandstone and bricks as the main materials. The wall of the prasat is usually built with bricks. Sandstone was used with the engraving area such as gables, lintels and decorative pillars at the door frame. Incidentally, the combination of two types of materials in the same building is considered a unique feature of Khmer Arts in Thailand only.Though the patterns found at the Principle prasat of Prasat Sa Kamphaeng Yai were influenced by Nakon Wat Arts, however, the diagram and architecture elements still shows a connection with the old style castle, such as no long Mondop but only a short porch, etc. There is only one prasat situated outside of the diagram of the three principle prasat. Its location is behind the three prasats towards the south. The motto of building this prasat is still unknown. However, it can show the imbalanced construction of Khmer prasats in Thailand.
ArchitecturePrasat Sikhoraphum
There are 5 prasats located on the same base. The Principal prasat is the largest and the other 4 are surrounding the Principle prasat in each corner. Except the east side which is an entrance, the prasat is surrounded by a ditch.This prasat was built in the 17th century B.E. which was the time of mixed arts in Nakhon Wat style. The date can be judged by the patterns on the door frame and the lintel of the principle prasat. However, this prasat was built with bricks while other prasats built in the Nakhon Wat style found in Cambodia always use sandstone. The diagram of Prasat Sikhoraphum is different than other prasats in Thailand because there are 5 prasats located on the same base with the principle prasat in the middle surrounded by other 4 prasats in each corner. Generally, there are only 3 prasats located next to one another on the same base found in Thailand.Each of the prasats are not connected; they all are stand- alone prasats. The walls are plain and the main material are bricks. The engraved areas such as lintels, door frames, and door frame’s pillars were done using sandstone. The mix of these two materials had appeared before since Prasat Wat Sa Kamphaeng Yai that is located nearby and it is a local style of Khmer prasat in Thailand because prasats built in the Nakhon Wat style found in Cambodia always use sandstone to engrave. Since there is an image of Shiva Nataraja appeared on the lintel of the principle prasat, it is highly possible that this prasat was built in Shaivism. These 5 prasats might be the places where the Shiva lingam, the symbol of Shiva, used to be located. Later on, this prasat was transformed into a religious place in Theravada Buddhism by people who immigrated from Laos. Important evidences include door frames inscriptions, and the restoration of the top of the prasat that is located in the southwestern area of the prasat, to make it resembling to the relics in Lan Chang Arts in Buddhism. It has been reconstructed to mimic the castle’ spire in Khmer Arts, but its style is clearly different from its prototype. The jackfruit petals have been rearranged as well.
ArchitecturePrasat Ban Phlong
It is a small single prasat built from sandstone located on a large cross-shaped Phaitee laterite base. The fact that the laterite base has two wings which are much larger than the prasat itself can assume that that there might be a plan to build a surrounding prasats. However, those prasats are not in existence nowadays. It is unknown whether the prasats had never been completed or they were built with wood, so they had all been lost.This is an example of a small prasat with quite complete carvings. The main entrance is in the east while the other three are false doors. The prasat has beautiful engravings in Baphuon Arts both on the lintel and the gable. Therefore, the age of the prasat can be assumed to be around the late 16th century B.E to the early 17th century B.E. The peak of the prasat might be built with bricks but it was lost over time. The lintel of this prasat usually consists of a Kala face sticking out a triangular tongue to the front and spitting out a garland and this is a typical Baphuon style. Sometimes there is a bunch of flowers to separate the crescent lintel and sometimes there are none. This proves that the crescent and non-crescent lintels are popular in contemporary times.The gable is in Baphuon style. It is in a shape of a flower stalk facing downward. There is a Naga with a visor. Inside of the gable composed of flora patterns with a Kala face underneath. With the appearing visor, it may be possible that this prasat is in the late Baphuon period and its age may be slightly later than Prasat Khao Phra Viharn and Prasat Mueang Tum. Both the gable and the lintel of this prasat show images of Krishna in various episodes such as Krishna lifting the Kovanthana mountain and Krishna subdued Naga Kaliya. In addition, the images of Indra on the Erawan elephant also appeared in several areas.
ArchitecturePrasat Ta Muen Thom
Prasat Tamuenthom are 3 large prasats built with sandstone and laterite. The group of prasats consists of a large principle prasat with recessed corners located in a square diagram. In a room at the center enshrines a Shiva lingam which is a symbol of Shiva, the supreme deity of Shaivism in Brahminism. This Shiva lingam is adorned from a natural sandstone. Later a prasat was built to cover it. It is assumed that this is a lingam that naturally appeared, called "Swayambhu lingam", which is the most important of Shaivism. There are 4 doors and the southern door is connected to the porch in the front or the Mondop. It is divided into 3 booths and the roof is made of sandstone. The base engraved a pattern of a standing idol. A sandstone lintel engraved a deity sitting in a knee-high position above the Kala face who is spitting out a bunch of garland was also found.There are 2 smaller prasats built of sandstone located behind the left and right sides of the principle prasat. The diagram is a square with receded corners. The entrance and exit is on the south and the other 3 sides were made of false doors.There are 2 laterite Bannalais. One is located in the south side of the principle prasat in a rectangular diagram. The other one is located in the south-west side in a square diagram.The principle prasat, the other 2 prasats and the 2 Banalais are surrounded by a crooked balcony. The gopura was built of sandstone in a square diagram. There is a 1.40 meter wide corridor with a gate on all four sides. The northern, eastern and western arches are similar while the arch on the southern side is the largest and it is the main arch, divided into 3 booths. The central booth is in a cross-shape diagram. There is a window with a stone balustrade attached. There was a discovery of a stone inscription inscribed with ancient Khmer and Sanskrit letters which were used in the late 16th century B.E. The detail in the inscription praises Shiva and also refers to the names of the slaves and the guardians of this religious place. A sandstone pier was also found in the south about 10 meters away from the balcony, and the pond was lined with laterite down to the bottom. It is located in northwestern side of the crooked balcony.
ArchitecturePrasat Mueang Khaek
Prasat Mueang Khaek is quite large. It was built with sandstone and bricks. Its diagram is rectangular and it is facing north. The important buildings are the principle prasat, 2 Banalais or repositories for scriptures, a curved balcony, an arch or gopura, an inner wall, a pond, and a small brick prasat.The layout of the site can be divided into 3 parts:The first part or the innermost consists of 3 prasats made of sandstone and bricks located on the same base. They are facing north. Only the principle prang has a porch or Mondop in the front which looks like an extension room. There are stairs at the front and at both sides. A sandstone sculpture base was also found at Garbhagriha of the principle prasat and the prasat behind the principle in the east. All three buildings are left with only the base and some parts of the buildings. What can still be found at the principle prasat are window portholes and Luk Ma Huad, decorative pillars at the door frame, sandstone door frame, and the Narai Bantomsin lintel on the top of the front door frame or the Mondop part.Next to the principle prang, there are two brick bases, one on the left and another one on the right, they both are facing the principle prasat. This could be a Viharns or a Banalais. The first part is surrounded by an inner wall made of bricks. The east side of the wall is a rectangular brick building with two entrances on the west and the north. The decorative pillars still remain at the door frame of the north gate.There is only one inner arch, or gopura at the front or the north side (with three gates), that the door frame and decorative pillars still remain. In addition, two more brick bases are found in the corner of the inner wall in front of the principle prasat beside the gopura or the inner arch. The building on the right has a brick paved walkway connecting the building parallel to the east inner wall.The second part is the outer wall. Most of the area was dug into a pond surrounding the site leaving only the center of the front part. The soil obtained from digging was used to make a wall around the inner wall and the pond. On the north side, there is a walkway that connects the innermost or the first part. The front part of the outer wall has a large arch, or a cross-shape gopura matched with the inner kopura (with three doors). Window portholes, Luk Ma Huad, and the sandstone door frame still remain. The third part is outside the outer wall towards the front or the north. There are 2 building bases made of laterite, sandstone and bricks on the left and the right. They are facing one another (The building on the right is facing west, the building on the left is facing east) The upper part may be built with wood. The base of both buildings has a rectangular diagram with a porch protruding towards the front. There are stairs leading up to the top of the base on all 4 sides surrounded by the wall with gopura at the front and at the back (The front one is larger) Inside the principle room of the western building, there are the Shiva lingam and Yoni sandstone base located at the center of the room. There is also a sandstone sculpture base located at the center of the room of the east building. From important evidences that were found from the excavations: the Shiva lingam, the base of Shiva lingam, a Uma Mahesavara carved gable. Indra on the Erawan elephant lintel, Narai Bantomsin lintel, the lintel of an angel sitting in the arch, Nandi sculpture, and 3 inscriptions, it can be assumed that this site was built in the religion of Shaivism in Brahminism, around the late of the 15th to the early of the 16th century B.E. in Koh Ker Arts - transform. The inscription indicates the AD 896 which is year 1028.
