The Stones of Preah Vihear

At Angkor, there's been endless scholarly research and speculation about how the ancient Khmers moved stones from quarries to far-away building sites. Probably rafts carried the stones along waterways. But at Preah Vihear, there was no need for long-distance transportation--the quarries were right at the temple's mountaintop location. Stones were cut from the ground and moved just a few meters to become parts of walls, door frames and lintels. If you visit Preah Vihear, take notice of the ghostly outlines where stones were birthed. In places you can see individual chisel-strokes that freed stones from the ground. It's quite an experience to imagine that a thousand years ago an ancient mason was at work right where you're standing. All Photos ©
John Burgess.