Ancient inscription stone turned in for preservation
Khouth Sophak Chakrya | Publication date 13 March 2019 | 09:21 ICT
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An ancient inscription stone is found in Svay Rieng province’s Svay Teap district. Photo supplied
A more than 1,000-year-old inscription stone, made during the reign of Jayavarman IV between 921 and 941, was handed over by a local pagoda to the Svay Rieng provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts on Monday for preservation.
Deputy department director Puth Sophanny told The Post on Tuesday that a woman from Svay Teap district’s Prasout commune had handed the ancient artefact to a former chief of Porthimony pagoda in 2011 in order to keep it safe, thinking that the stone was a “holy and God-possessed” object.
“Until now, no one knew the stone was 1,000 years old. The inscription could not be read or translated."
“Keut Sophy, the former chief of the pagoda, left it alone and it was exposed to rain and sunlight near a ‘spirit guardian’ hut on the pagoda compound,” Sophanny said.
He said that recently researchers from the Royal Academy of Cambodia had inspected the stone and announced their findings on Monday.
