We made another trip to Cambodia in May where we visited Phnom Penh and surrounding areas and searched for antiques to offer in the gallery.

A highlight was a visit to Phnom Chisor, a temple from the Angkor Period, built by the Khmer king, Suryavarman, who practiced Brahmanism. The temple sits upon a solitary hill in Takeo Province, offering wonderful panoramic views of the countryside below. It’s quite a climb up a long series of steps in the heat of the dry season.

The site was originally known as Suryagiri and the main temple is constructed of laterite and brick with carved sandstone lintels. The temple complex is enclosed by partially ruined walls, and inside, inscriptions can be found dating from the 11th century. Rituals were held here 900 years ago with the king accompanied by his entourage, who would climb the 400 steps. Here they would pay homage to the Hindu gods, Vishnu and Shiva. The main temple is still active and now houses an image of the Buddha along with the Hindu gods. Inside you can receive a blessing where a prayer is offered and a red string tied to the right wrist.

We also visited the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, next to the Royal Palace. The museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of Khmer art including sandstone sculpture, bronzes, and ethnographic objects. Despite being looted during the Khmer Rouge regime, many impressive pieces remain. The collection dates from prehistoric times, pre, present, and post Khmer Empire period, up to the 19^th century. It’s a fascinating place to spend a few hours. The scale and quality of artistic endeavour from the Angkorian Era is breathtaking, but we were also reminded of the beauty of pre-Angkor art.  The Angkorian period began in AD802 when Jayavarman II declared himself a universal monarch and lasted until the late 14^th century.

We returned with a collection of  Khmer antiques including 18^th-19^th century lime pots, bronze bells, lacquer-ware, and other rare artifacts, some of which are featured below.