Koh Ker, The Lost City of Khmer Empire
by Chanratana Chen
The fascinating temple complex of Koh Ker, on the way between Angkor and Preah Vihear.
Author: Chanratana Chen
Languages : English, Khmer
“This video was made to tell the story of Koh Ker, the old city of the Khmer Empire. Koh Ker was founded by King Jayavarman IV, he ruled the Khmer Empire from 928 to 941 A.D. King Jayavarman IV enforced an ambitious building program. An enormous water-tank and about forty temples were constructed under his rule.
Under King Jayavarman IV reign, the style of Koh Ker was developed and the art of sculpture reached a pinnacle. The most significant temple‑complex, a double sanctuary (Prasat Thom/Prang), Unparalleled is the 36-metre high seven‑tiered pyramid, which most probably served as the state temple of king Jayavarman IV.
Since 1992 the site of Koh Ker has been on the UNESCO tentative world heritage list.
Credit to the owners of these videos:
— Dr Chen Chanratana, Koh Ker and King Jayavarman IV
— Makara Ouch, Koh Ker “The Lost Wonder”
— Makara Ouch, The Kingdom of Memory
— Hanumanfilms, The Rival Capital of Koh Ker
— Hanumantourism, Koh Ker
— Sabay TV, The Road Home S3 “Koh Ker, Preah Vihear”
— National Authority of Preah Vihear, Koh Ker “Hidden Capital of Khmer Empire”
— Department of Information Preah Vihear, Koh Ker.”
A video documentary project supported by Kerdomnel Khmer (Khmer Heritage)
Tags: Koh Ker, Khmer Empire, Jayavarman IV
About the Author
Chanratana Chen
Dr Chen Chanratana ចិន្ត ច័ន្ទរតនា (b. 9 Apr. 1980, Phnom Penh) is the founder and president of the Kerdomnel Khmer Foundation, a professor at the Faculty of Archeology, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh, and a producer producer of educational and cultural programs for Southeast Asia Television (SEATV).
With a PhD in Archaeology and Art History from Sorbonne University, France, Officials of the General Secretariat of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, he is the Chairman of the Research Team of the Khmer Heritage Foundation (Kerdomanel), and a History professor at Paragon International University and The University of Cambodia. He also works with the General Secretariat of Cambodia’s National Assembly.
As an archaeologist, Chen Chanratana has particularly worked on the Koh Ker sites, northeast of Angkor, and the quest for Khmer capital cities of the pre-Angkorean era.
He is the son of drama professor, author and movie director Chen Neak, and Ms. Minh Yon, professor of poetry at Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.
Publications
- Le site de Koh Ker et le règne de Jayavarman IV, Histoire, art et archeologie, Presses academiques francophones, Germany, 2012
- រាជធានីកោះកេរនិងរាជ្យព្រះបាទជ័យវរ្ម័នទី៤, ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ សិល្បៈ និងបុរាណវិទ្យា (Khmer version), 2020
- [Editor] ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាចាប់ពីចុងសតវត្សរ៍ទី១៦ ដល់ដើមសតវត្សរ៍ទី១៨, Khmer version of Mak Phoeun’s Histoire du Cambodge de la fin du XVIe siècle au début du XVIIIe, Phnom Penh, 2023
Video Documentaries
- Grand Opening of Cambodia National Assembly on the 7th July 2007
- History construction process of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia
- Documentary videos about Koh Ker