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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.
ArchitectureStep pyramidal base: Koh Ker
This temple is consider to be the most majestic stepped pyramidal temple in Khmer art as the pyramidal base is of seven steps. The top of the base, there was a tower, now lost. The stepped pyramidal temple in Koh Ker period ism in some aspects, similar to Prasat Paksi Chamkrong at Angkor.
ArchitectureGateway: Koh Ker
Prasat Koh Ker is the complex comprising the step pyramidal temple (nowadays called as Prasat Thom) and the group of temple on the low platform. In the front of the group there exists the lofty brick gateway. This gateway reveals the new step of evolution as two doors are provided in the both sides, different from the normal brick tower which is normally in single-doored scheme.
ArchitectureElongate Salle with triangular Pediment: Koh Ker
The elongate hall at Koh Ker is made of stone topped by the already-lost timber-and-tiled roof. The front triangular pediment is the imitation of the wooden structure whereas the end of the gable is decorated with the scrollwork inspired from the trunk of Makara. This kind of pediment has been popular not only in Koh Ker period but also in Banteay Srei and Baphoun periods. Banteay Srei and Preah Vihear temples are the prime example for this kind of pediment. Interestingly, the holes visible at the edge of the gable were meant for supporting the already-lost wooden beams of the roof structure.
SculptureLintel
Lintel is an architectural element normally installed at the top of the door. Preah Ko lentel. as being under the influence of Javanese and Kulen art, is characterized by the Kala face in the middle of the upper part of the lintel. At the both ends of the lintels are the outward-facing Makaras inspired by Javanese Kala-Makara niche. However, more variation of the style is noticeable in Preah Ko period. Above and below the garland exist the vegetation leafs as continuing form Kulen style. There are also figures inserted throughout the vegetative motifs anticipating Koh Ker style of lintel. The lotus band at the bottom of the lintel, however, anticipates Pre Rup style of lintel.
SculptureCarved of Vishnu at Prasat Kravan
The sculpture is the image of god Vishnu with 1 head and 8 arms surrounded by the male and female angels and deities. Lord Vishnu wears a headgear with the conical ringed tiara. He wears the striped brocade at the knees level. In the front, the seam is in the large curved pattern. Underneath the curved seam is the large belt, next is the 2 layers stacked anchors with one end fall to the ground.
SculptureCarved of Vishnu Trivikrama at Prasat Kravan
Lord Vishnu wears a headgear with the conical ringed tiara. His 4 hand hold 4 different objects as follow; The front right hand holds a padma (lotus), the front left hand holds gada (mace), the back right holds a sudarshana chakra, and the back left hand holds a shankha (conch shell). He wears the striped brocade at the knees level. In the front, the seam is in the large curved pattern. Underneath the curved seam is the large belt, next is the 2 layers stacked anchors with one end fall to the ground. The right foot is supported by the lotus. Underneath the statue sees the figure of the female deity, Bhumi Devi holds lotus in her hand. The left foot is on the base. To the left of the devi figure is a smaller humanoid figure in the palms pressed together in a prayer-like, he is presumably Mahabali.
SculptureCarved of Garuda Vahana at Prasat Kravan
Lord Vishnu wears a headgear with the conical ringed tiara. His 4 hand hold 4 different objects as follow; The front right hand holds a padma (lotus), the front left hand holds gada (mace), the back right holds a sudarshana chakra, and the back left hand holds a shankha (conch shell). He wears the striped brocade at the knees level. In the front, the seam is in the large curved pattern. The Sculpture depicts as Vishnu sitting on the top of the winged humanoid creature with bird feathers covered the outer part of the body, presumably to be Garuda, the vahana (mount) of Lord Vishnu.
