Prasat Hin Ban Samo
| Native Name | ปราสาทหินบ้านสมอ, ប្រាសាទហ៊ិនបានសាម៉ូ |
|---|---|
| Alternative name | Prasat Tham Chan, Prasat Ban Samo, Prasat Chamroen, Prasat Samor |
| BA# | T33019 |
| CISARK# | 932 |
| IK# | 393 |
| K Inscription | K.??? |
| Inscr. Location | In Situ |
| Size | Medium |
| Condition | Intact |
| Type | Temple, Arogyasala |
| Location | |
| Commune | Samo |
| District | Prang Ku |
| Province | Sisaket |
| Country | Thailand |
| Coordinates | 14.81766, 104.11009 |
| History | |
| Founded | Late 12th - Early 13th Century |
| Builder | Jayavarman VII |
| Art Style | Bayon |
| Material | Laterite, Sandstone |
| Religion | Buddhist |
| Deity | Lokeshvara |
| Year/s Restored | Post 2007 |
Prasat Hin Ban Samo (ปราสาทหินบ้านสมอ - Pronounced: Pra-saht Hin Ban Sa-mo)
This well-preserved, albeit unfinished, single laterite tower with a small enclosing wall, corresponds to a Jayavarman VII-period arogyasala or hospital chapel. The east-facing tower comes with an eastern porch and is in intact condition with a certain amount of restoration having been completed in recent times. The enclosure also contains a 'library' and cruciform-shaped eastern gopura while a laterite-stepped pond is situated to the northeast. An unfinished lintel is still in situ above the northern doorway while the pediment of the main tower was clearly prepared for carving but was never completed.
It's not immediately clear which ancient settlement this arogyasala was connected to although the presence of several possible small ancient reservoir sites to the north may indicate the presence of an Angkor-period settlement.
An inscribed stele is also featured within the temple compound which may have been recently unearthed, recuperated or restored as it doesn't appear in older photos of the site. Additionally, a large sandstone statue (Vishnu?) is held in a wooden shrine in the grounds of the adjacent Buddhist wat of the same name although we're uncertain if this is a replica or the original.
Map Location
Image Gallery
Overview of the main tower
Eastern porch
Tower with laterite enclosing wall
Unfinished lintel above the north, false, door
Ruined, eastern gopura
View of the tower and porch from the north
Small, eastern entrance pavilion
If you would like to upload additional images to the gallery, please refer to the Upload Instructions guide
Historic Archive
A collection of historic photographs, artist sketches, maps etc. (Please ensure that anything you do upload is free of copyright and/or you have permission from the original photographer/artist/author to share)
Nearby Sites
External Links
Links to additional resources such as articles, websites, videos etc.
References