The Kbal Spean is the river bed located in Phnom Kulen hills northeast of Angkor. The site has always been - at least in modern times- uninhabited, and it was made known to the general public in the in 1969.
To reach the sculptures we walked for 1,5 km uphill along a path in the jungle passing by some interesting rocky formations.
Kbal Spean |
|
Called also River of the Thousand Lingam, in reality the name means 'head of bridge', with reference to a natural stone bridge. Its riverbed and banks have been graven with elaborate linga and various sacred images of hindu divinities a lot of which are been defaced in the last years. The varied style of the low relief proves that Kbal Spean has been decorated between the xi and the xiii c.
|
Kbal Spean
|
There are reported around 1,000 images in all, thought to have been created by ascetics who lived here during the eleventh century, they are cut directly into the hard stone of the streambed. In particular the “linga” in the river bed was supposed to purify the water.
Kbal Spean |
|
Hundred lingam are sculpted on the river bed, other sculptures represent Vishnu reclining upon the serpent Ananta, Shiva and Parvati on Nandi, Brahma. In addition there are bas-relief carvings in many of the boulders along the stream.
The path ends in a small but pretty waterfall that, according to a local legend, was once used as a ritual bathing spot by the king.
|
|
|
