Khmer Temples and the Astronomic True East

From various inscriptions, as well as from the tracing of the Royal Roads and the architectural prowesses at Angkor and elsewhere, we know that the Khmer in pre-Angkorian and Angkorian times had a strong command of astronomy and calculus.

The Hindu influence also meant that these ancient civilizations paid a particular attention to celestial events, the course of the planets being at the foundation of their cosmogony.

In this essay, the author shows that all of the 325 Khmer temples he studied are aligned to the ​“true East” cardinal point, with minor variations to the North-East or South-East in some cases. Sun-related events such as the winter and summer solstices were particularly taken into consideration while building these spiritual centers.