TEMPLE LAYOUT OF CHOK GARGYAR WITH PRASAT THOM AS CENTER COMPLEX: Reconsideration on the monuments of Koh Ker in architectural history of Khmer, Cambodia (Part II)

In the ancient Khmer city Chok Gargyar, many archaeological remains including temples and other religious facilities and several types of the civil structures were newly documented in a survey from 2007 to 2010. This paper showed that there is certain significant meaning to the positions of archaeological remains distributed throughout this ancient city. The temples appear to be distributed irregularly at a glance, but those located around Prasat Thom came to be seen as sharing a common plan. It was also found that the approach from the royal road to the city led to the central temple of Prasat Thom, and that the straight pilgrimage route ran straight to the pyramid temple “Prang” with were landmarks of this city. Worshipers and the center of the city were not only connected by a symbolic, invisible relationship, but they were also visibly related, as though in manifestation of the ruler's strong unifying power.