Kutisvara
As with Ak Yum, Kutisvara temple is another of those minor Angkor temples whose historical importance is equalled by its lack of tourist cachet! The 3 unspectacular and ruined brick towers are never going to get 5* in any temple guide but it is considered by many historians to be the oldest temple in the entire central Angkor area, so as such one of the most significant from an archaeological point of view.
The central of the 3 towers is thought to date to the late 8th or early 9th century and the reign of Jayavarman II, making Kutisvara (sometimes spelt Kutishvara), contemporary with the oldest sites at Rolous (e.g. Trapaeng Phong), and the western end of the Western Baray (Ak Yum etc). but the earliest in the central part of the historical park. The temple is situated between the southeastern corner of Ta Prom and the northwestern angle of Sra Srang – lying just off, but still visible from, the north side of the road running between Ta Prom and Banteay Kdei.)
The brick ruins of Kutisvara, near Sra Srang, Angkor The more recent, yet more ruined, north and south towers date from the Rajendravarman II, mid-10th-century period. All are sited on a rubble and dirt-covered laterite platform and 3 of the surrounding sides show evidence of a possible moat. The central tower has a lintel in situ which is unfortunately too eroded to make out anything, although the adjacent towers have relatively well-preserved and intact lintels lying on the ground nearby.
Eroded and moss-covered but appears to depict the Churning of the Sea of Milk scene Presumably, the northern lintel showing another version of the frequently illustrated ‘churning of the sea of milk’ with, amongst other figures, Brahma, Vishnu and Kurma.
Another well-preserved lintel, this time lying in front of the south tower, shows Brahma surrounded by worshippers.
The lintel from the south tower now lies on the ground nearby As with the other Rajendravarman site, Kapilapura, we came across recently in the forest between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Kutisvara is also possibly one of the few temples to have actually kept its original name. Not quite as ruined as the latter it is worth a peek if you’re passing – to check out the decent lintels and maybe just to say you’ve visited the oldest temple at Angkor! We visited Kutisvara on our recent Cambodia Overland tour and thanks to Steven and Jordan for their indulgence, and thanks to Chet for finding it.
Update
A Kutisvara update in the light of a couple of precisions regarding our recent post on Angkor’s Kutisvara Temple from some interesting feedback we received.
Firstly, whilst several prominent archaeologists, such as Coedes and Jacques have ascribed the central tower, pictured above, to the Jayavarman II/Preah Ko style, according to the EFEO (École Française d’Extrême-Orient) there is no conclusive evidence for that and a late 8th- early 9th-century dating is only speculative. The adjacent towers are almost definitely mid-10th century and an inscription mentioning a priest of Rajendravarman II (c. 944 to 968) was found nearby. However, since the central tower is built on a brick base and the north and south towers lie on laterite bases it’s a reasonable assumption that; a. the towers were not built at the same time and b. the central tower must then have been constructed before the other 2.
Further EFEO information is that when French archaeologist Maurice Glaize, (himself later a member of the Ecole), discovered the temple in 1930 he ascribed the name Kutisvara to it – jumping to the conclusion that this small temple corresponded to the 9th-century temple of Kutisvara mentioned in several texts, (including that of Sdok Kok Thom), and that there may not actually be any historical justification to associate this temple with Kutisvara.
So, yes speculation, but we reckon reasonable speculation and at the end of the day much of Khmer history remains at present in the realm of speculation anyway!
