Monograph No. 88

第4節     東テラス出土遺物の意味

 

 Note on Some Archaeological Objects Discovered at the vihar of the Western Prasat Top

Lam Sopheak

 

 For better understandings of its structure and history prior to undertaking proper restoration and conservation work at the Western Prasat Top temple (also known as "Monument 486"), the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Nara has conducted its surveys at the site, including many important archaeological excavations. One important remark, I would like to make here, is the objects discovered at a terrace located immediately to the east of the main lower of the temple. The terrace was later constructed to serve Buddhist belief practices in the middle Khmer period (c. 14th -mid 19th centuries). Notably, this "Buddhist terrace" represents a typical Theravada Buddhist vihar (worship hall) or sometimes called uposathagar construction of the time.1 Many of these typical vihars can still be found in many places inside and outside of Angkor area. Some still remain functioning as the vihars and others were abandoned just like at the Prasat Top.

 It is not a surprise in Angkor archaeological site that we found objects which include broken statues, ceramics (local and imported ones), metal objects such as iron nails, and jewelry...etc during our research. What is striking and merits consideration are the discovery of broken Buddha statues and a small jar inside which valuable objects including a bronze ring (intentionally inserted into the jar), a folded silver sheet, small pieces of gold and a ruby are kept (Fig. 1&2). Due to our naked eye observation, it is possible that the broken Buddha images and the small jar were intentionally buried in front of the Buddha's throne by removing blocks of laterite of pre-existing causeway. Burying broken Buddha images and even jars of ashes nearby thrones of main Buddha images were also confirmed during the excavation at Bateay Kdei temple by the Sophia University research team of its 19th Angkor Mission.2 Such custom, moreover, still remains practicing today (Fig. 3 & 4). It is, however, unlikely that the discovered broken Buddha statues and the small jar of the Western Prasat Top are similar practice to that buried jars and broken Buddha statues discovered during its 19th mission at Banteay Kdei. Such assertion is because the jars of ashes and the broken Buddha images were not found in front of the main Buddha's throne.

 Interestingly, in 2001 hundreds of Buddha images (many of them are broken) were discovered at Banteay Kdei temple. Professor Kunikazu UENO and Professor Tetsuo HISHIDA observed that these Buddha statues were carefully buried.3 Such practice as suggested by Professor HISHIDA "was at least influenced by Buddhist ideology".4 The suggestion is indeed applauded. And yet what exactly is that Buddhist ideology, which leads to such religious practice?

 Furthermore, Professor Kunikazu UENO has raised a question: "might the laterite structure over the statues have been erected to venerate the deceased statutes (sic) in response after they were abandoned?"5 It is likely that the laterite structure, which was mentioned by Professor UENO, would be a possible throne of the main Buddha inside the "disappeared middle-period vihar" just like the vihar at the Western Prasat Top. If so, what was that religious practice of buiying (broken) Buddha images in front of the main Buddha's throne in the middle of the vihar?

 Observing contemporary religious ceremony of pancush sima, "inserting or marking the sacred boundary", seems to help us understand the reason why the (broken) Buddha images and jar with jewelry were buried in the middle of the vihar.

 Each vihar has nine simas located to the eight points of cardinal and intercardinal directions, and Another most important sima, called sima kil or sima indr kil is located in the middle of vihar in front of the main Buddha image throne. It should be reminded that the eight simas consist of two sections. The top section, which is on the ground, is called sanlik sima ("leaf of sima"); and the unseen part but the most important which is buried underground is called rs sima (Fig. 5 & 6). The sima indr kil, however, do not have the sanlik sima. The simas are used to ritually demarcate the "sacred" and "profane" spaces. In order to set the boundary, a solemn ceremony called pancush sima needs to be performed. Nine holes are dug. When the ceremony is performed, the faithful bring objects, which could symbolize their wishes, to deposit in the holes of the simas. Some people, for instance, deposit needles or nails into the holes of sima with wishes that in their next lives their minds would be determined (sharp like the needles or nails) in Buddhism. Or other would deposits jewelry so that in the next lives they wish to obtain more wealth...etc.6 Traditionally, when the vihar is no longer in use, the rs sima is physically and/or ritually required lo be uprooted.7

 Although further research is needed for better understanding of the religious practices associated with the construction of the vihar and its sima of the Western Prasat Top temple, the broken Buddha statues and deposit jar found in front of the main throne of the vihar could be possibly related to the practices of pancush sima. Nevertheless, we have never researched at sima kil to search for its actual rs sima in order to see whether they are similar to the one that is used today or the broken Buddha images and deposit jar were themselves the rs sima of sima kil. Although searching for rs sima is not the objectives of our project, such research would help us not only understand the religious practices of the middle period but also help "restore" the broken middle-period Buddhist practices.

 

 1 Such structure can be found in many places inside and outside of Angkor region. For more and a detailed study of the change, see Ashley Thomson. "The Ancestral Cult in Transition: Reflections on Spatial Organization in Cambodia's early Theravada Complex." Southeast Asian Archaeology (1996), 273-295.

 2 Kunikazu Ueno, "On the Archaeological Work in Banteay Kdei: 19th Angkor Mission by Sophia University," Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 14 (1997): 199-204.

 3 Tetsuo HISHIDA, "On the Banteay Buddhist Burial Pits at Kdei Temple: a Comparative of Buried Buddhist Relics from China and Japan," Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 21 (2004): 54-55.

 4 Ibid.

 5 Kunikazu Ueno, "The process of Archaeological Excavation and Perception," Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 21 (2004): 43.

 6 Madeleine Giteau, Le bornage rituel des temples bouddhiques au Cambodge (Paris: Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient, 1969).

 7 It is also important to note that simas of many middle period vihars or the Buddhist terraces can still be seen.

 

Fig. 1 The broken Buddha statues from excavation at western Prasat Top (Monument 486).

Fig. 2 Small jar with jewelry from excavating at western Prasat Top (Monument 486).

Fig. 3 The broken Buddha statues at Prasat Prah Palileiy (North of Royal Palace).

Fig. 4 The broken Buddha statues on cetiy or stupa behind of Prash AngKok Thlok (east Bayon Temple).

Fig. 5 rs sima at Western Prasat Top

Fig. 6 New rs sima ston at Prah Net Prash district (Banteay Mean Cheay Province).

 

 第5節 西トップ遺跡出土クメール陶器の考察

Khmer Stoneware Ceramic from Western Top Temple

Preliminary Analyze on rainier Unglazed, Green and Brown Glaze Wares

Sok Keo Sovannara

 

 Introduction

 From the year of 2002, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties began a new project on conservation and restoration work at Western Top temple 8 known as Monument number 486 9, after finishing a research work on ancient Khmer ceramic kiln at Tani village site. In the same year, a draft topographic map had been clone for the area around the temple and some collections were also done for some ceramic fragments remaining on the ground surface. From 2003, a primary excavation was conducted in the south of an eastern Buddhist terrace, which measured about 3m from east to west and 11m from north to south 10, in order lo check the relation between that terrace and the outer laterite wall surrounding the temple complex. Step by step, the continuous excavations had been done for different places around the whole temple area in the aims of understanding and checking the strategraphic layers of the soils and underground structures of the temple and eastern terrace.

 During the excavations, some artifacts including sandstone sculptures, bronze and iron objects, roof tiles, Khmer ceramics, and pieces of Chinese ceramics such as porcelains, celadon and brown glaze wares were found separately in deferent layers. The Khmer wares including earthenware and stoneware are mainly found inside the lowest layers, seemed to be dated from early 9th century to 12th or 13th centuries, while the brown glaze wares became popular at that mean time. The problem is that those ceramic fragments were from different periods, but they are mixed together in same layer. Moreover, the Chinese ceramics that are thought to be dated from the first half of 12th century to early 14th century 11, also remaining with Khmer shards dated from 9th to 14th centuries. However, this is just a small matter because the layers that contained those ceramic fragments are new soils, which refilled for, at least in 14th century or later, sandstone structures known as three towers and eastern Buddhist terrace.

 In this paper, I want to study only Khmer stoneware shards discovered from excavation trenches and some collected artifacts from the upper ground surface, such as stoneware unglazed, green and brown glaze fragments. Normally, these ceramic fragments are small pieces; most of them can not be known the original shapes and sizes. Oppositely, some fragments can be recognized or thought to be from some kiln sites in east and northeast of Angkor area, especially for green glaze fragments and some big size brown glaze jar pieces and a small amount of shards, which were probably from some kilns in Buriram.

 

 1. Historical View of Western Top Temple

 Western Top temple, current visible structures known as three sandstone towers 12, sandstone Buddhist terrace and laterite enclosure, have been primarily thought to be dated at least 16th-17th centuries, after the empire of Angkor collapsed around the first half of 15th century. But after finding some Chinese white porcelain and some Khmer green glaze ceramics, Prof. Sugiyama and his colleagues have considered that the central tower was probably in 14th century, while the two other towers were a bit later 13. The Khmer people changed from Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism to Hinayana Buddhism known as Theravada. Some of temples in Cambodia, especially in Angkor Thorn area, had been temporarily changed and added for accepting to the concepts of new religion.

 Western Top is one of those temples. Historically, the evidences of remain structures indicate that there was approximately a former tower of a temple already constructed on the place where current central tower. The existed structure is a laterite basement that was covered by modulation-decoration sandstone wall of central tower. The former tower is thought to be built probably in 10"' century, because evidentially according to the laterite basement structure and other sandstone elements such as pillars and four lintels confirm that it is similar to the style of Banteay Srei temple, which dates to 10th century or in the reign of the King Jayavarman V (968A.D-1001A.D). The groups of sandstone elements are very close to the elements of Banteay Srei temple 14. But after a clearance done by Henri Marchal in 1924, an inscription was found in the south-east of the sub-basement of the north tower. There are about 23 lines of the text, while about 18 lines are visible 15. The inscription was written in mainly Sanskrit and a few lines of Khmer, about an erection of a statue of Visnu and the foundation of the temple by a maternal uncle of king Yacovarman, who named CriSamaravikramam. This inscription should be in the reign of this prince dated between 889A.D-908A.D. This is a problem for dating the former tower or structure. Basing the inscription, there would be a temple constructed and a statue also erected during the reign of this prince (end of 9th to beginning of 10th centuries). But evidentially, comparing to the sandstone elements found using with the later sandstone central tower, it indicates that the former building seems to be built in the late 10th century. Finally, when after the former building collapsed, the 16th or 17th century towers were constructed and added on the former remain structure known as probably the inner laterite basement.

 However, this is a big problem that needs more time to discuss the progress of constructions of the former and newer buildings. By the way, it also causes another problem to the date of the ceramic fragments found around the temple, as well.

 

 2. Ceramic Collecting

 Generally, the ceramic fragments were collected from deferent excavated trenches and separated layers, especially, between the trenches on the terrace and the trench around the southern, northern and central towers. The cultural layers are exactly different, but sometimes we found that the broken pieces, which were originally from one pot, were deposited separately inside the soil layers of the eastern terrace and the hard-clay basic layers of the area outside the terrace and around the three towers. This is not a big problem and there is no doubt, because these soil layers were taken from same place where those ceramic fragments had been thrown away, and filled up again for making the basement and sub-basement soil layers of the three towers and the eastern terrace. So that why the same broken pieces that from an original pot were found in separate trenches.

 Besides, the other ceramic pieces were also picked up from the ground surface around the temple area in order to make database and typology.

 

 3. Ceramic Classification and Typology

 The collected fragments are different kinds, types and shapes. But in this paper, only stoneware unglazed, green and brown glaze shards are presented.

 Most of the broken fragments can not be recognized and classified as shapes and form, because they are very small pieces, sometimes just parts of the bodies, rims or bases. But least of them can be known as shapes and Khmer names of the pots. Thus I would briefly divide these fragments into three main types, such as stoneware without glaze, green glaze and brown glaze ceramic pieces. But another type is also indicated as two-color glaze ware. And so on, these fragments are classified into shapes or their original forms and Khmer names.

 

 4. Green Glaze Ware (Photo 1)

 It is really difficult to say where these green glaze ceramics were from. Comparing to some ceramics found at some kiln sites in the east of Angkor region, basing on the qualities of clays and glazes, the collected fragments are mostly quite similar to ceramics of Sar Sey kiln and Anlong Thorn kiln. The clays are gray and light gray, almost pure clays mixed very little of grainy sand. The quality of glaze is good, sticky and little thick. However, several shapes of the pots can be recognized, such as Kumrop (covers),  Tanlap (covered-boxes), Khuoch (bottles), Koath (urns), Can (bowls) and Ka-am (water jars).

 

 A-Kumrop (Covers)

 There are different covers found. Some of them are probably covers of the covered boxes, while some others are maybe the covers of the urns. Normally, we do not know which body of the pot that each cover is belonged to. It is also difficult to know the original sizes of these cover pieces, because they are extremely small. Very few of them can be estimated the shapes and sizes.

 There are about seven pieces of covers found. Three of them were collected from layer 3 of trench BB01 16. Another one was from surface layer of trench EA01 17. Two others were from layer 3 of trench FA01 18 and the last one was from layer 4 of trench FB01. All of these cover fragments are made of gray and light gray clays mixed by grainy sand and hard. They seem to be fired in high temperature (around 900 to 1100℃).

 One is probably belonged to the cover of the covered-box (Fig.1), which is a small round-top shape with a small hollow in the middle of it. The other pieces seem to be the covers of the urns (Fig.2-4), round-top shapes and decorated with some circle-incised lines. Actually, the qualities of the glazes are little different. Some are light green, sticky and thick, while the others are yellowish green, cracked, thin and almost disappeared.

 

 B-Tanlap (Covered-boxes)

 A recognized piece is probably a round-base shape covered box (Fig.6). The fragment is from a part of rim, measuring 13mmby 14mm,with traces of polishing lines. It is made of light gray clay applied with very green and sticky glaze on outer and inner walls.

 

 C-Khuoch (Bottles)

Normally, the Khuochs have short-united feet, sometimes surrounding by incised and bumped lines 19. The bodies of the bottles are fat and a bit long or plate. The rims are stepped from 3 to 7.The inside walls were not polished well. There are traces of clay corning method. The bottoms have different marks.

 One piece of the rim is well-known as the rim of the bottle (Fig.8).Three others are probably parts from neck (Fig.9), body and base of the separate pots. These pieces are made of gray clay mixed fine sand. The qualities of the glazes are little different. The rim's glaze almost disappeared; just a small part on inner wall still remains. This rim shard is decorated by circle-ridged lines on the top part. The neck piece's glaze is good, but cracked. The body fragment's glaze already disappeared from the outer wall; only the inner wall's glaze can be seen. The glaze of the base piece is quite good. There are traces of cracked lines. The part of body of the base piece is decorated by vertical-incised lines (Fig.7). Normally, there are traces of forming and polishing on the outer and inner walls of these fragments.

 

 D-Koath (Urns)

Generally, Koath is cylindrical formed stoneware pot, with united-bottom, burst walled up and turn down about0.5-lcm and then turn up again as a notch for joining with the cover. The Koaths have short feet, sometimes decorated with incised and bumped lines. The outside walls were polished smoothly. There are sometimes traces of clay coiling on outside and inside walls. At the bottoms were marked different designs.

Two pieces from body parts (Fig.10-11) and one from the base (Fig.12) are approximately thought lo be the bodies and base of the Koaths. The inner walls of the two body fragments remain traces of clay coiling that very often seen similarly on the walls of the Koaths. These pieces were made of gray clay mixed by grainy sand and applied with low quality of glazes. The glazes are very thin, cracked and almost disappeared. Another base piece was made of light gray clay mixed by fine sand, applied with good light green glaze, decorated by circle-incised line on the outer wall and some traces of clay coiling are also presented.

 

 E-Can (Bowls)

The bowls have normally united bottoms; the walls a bit straight up and turn down as the mouths 20. Actually, the both sides of the walls were polished, and applied with glazes. There is no design on the bodies of the bottles. The bottoms are carved with different marked lines.

There is not any complete bowl found from the excavation trenches. Evidentially, six pieces of the rims were met and recognized probably as the rims of the bowls (Fig.13-Fig.18). These fragments are made of gray clays mixed by fine sand and applied with good qualities of glazes, which sticky but little thin and cracked. They are smoothed, no decoration, but some trace of polishing lines are presented.

 

 F-Ka-am (Water Jars)

Generally, Ka-am is a kind of small water container or storage jar. which has a small side base, large body, long-united neck, and big opened mouth 21. Typically, there are two shapes of these pots, one is a bit round body and another form is a bit plate-rounded body shape. The bodies, solders and necks of the ka-am always were decorated as incised and ridged circle lines, or sometimes there are circle-punctuated lines around the necks.

There are only three pieces of green glaze wares that are thought to be parts of Ka-ams found and picked up from excavated trenches. One is from rim part (Fig.19), while two others are from the neck parts (Fig.20 and Fig.21). These fragments are made of gray clays mixed by fine sand and applied good, sticky glazes. The rim piece is small, decorated with circle-incised line on the top part. One of the neck pieces is very light gray clay and light green glaze, designed with circle-ridged lines. The last piece is dark gray clay and dark green glaze, decorated by several circle-ridged lines and a line of long-vertical dots on one of the circle-ridged lines.

 

 G-Unknown Fragments (Fig.22-Fig.27)

Besides, a lot of green glaze fragments from parts of bodies, and bases of various pots can not be identified and recognized as shapes. Mostly, these fragments are made of gray and light gray clays, mixed fine sands, applied with good qualities of glazes. Some of them are smoothed, no decoration, and some others decorated with incised lines.

 

5. Brown Glaze Wares (Photo 2 and 3)

Oppositely, the brown glaze fragments are from mainly big pots, jars and basins. Very few of them are pieces from small pots such as cover, covered box, bottle and urn that can be identified. However, even there were many pieces of rims, necks and bases collected, but typically they can not be clearly classified as shapes or forms. Thus, a few shapes of these fragments will briefly be shown.

Normally, the brown glaze shards were made of gray and dark gray clays, some mixed by fine sand, especially for small pots, and others mostly combined with rough sand. The qualities of the clays mainly solid and hard sometime mixed iron compound or spots on the walls of the shards. Some dark gray clay fragments seem to be mixed by ash or charcoal. Moreover, the qualities of the glazes are also different. Some fragments were applied with very good quality of glaze, thick and sticky, about 0.5mm to 1mm thick. Such kind of good glaze wares are seen on medium size pots' fragments like water jars such as Ka-am, Kandin and other shapes of pots that are similar to Kanthor (spittoon). Some fragments of big size jars and basins were often applied with good glazes. The small pots like cover and urn were not applied with low quality of glaze, very thin, but sticky.

 

 A-Kumrop (Cover)

 Most of the found covers are green glaze, while a few of them are probably brown glaze. Only one piece of brown glaze cover (Fig.28) was found in layer 3 of trench FB01. The fragment was made of gray clay mixed by fine sand, and observably contains some small pieces of charcoal. Basing on the shape and size, it is probably a cover of the Koath. The cover was made by applying the glaze on both walls and decorated by circle-incised lines on the lower part of the outer wall of the rim. The glaze is very thin and cracked. The traces of clay coiling can be seen on the inner wall.

 

 B-Tanlap (Covered box)

 Surely, there is not any real fragment of Tanlap, but a piece of rim (Fig.29) is comparably similar to the rim of the Tanlap. Normally, the Tanlap are small size pots and mostly applied by green glaze. The brown Tanlap is never seen before, even at some kiln sites in the east of Angkor region.

 Hypothetically, I suggest this piece of brown glaze rim shard is a kind of big size brown glaze Tanlap. Or it could be another kind of pot. So there will be another check and a discussion in the future for this piece, especially for brown glaze Tanlap or covered box.

 Actually, this piece was made of dark gray mixed little rough sand, and applied with glaze until only the top part of the outer wall, the curved part of the rim was not applied with glaze. There is also trace of glaze on the inner wall, but it is cracked and almost disappeared. The glaze is good, about 0.5mm thick, sticky but traces of cracked lines are shown. It is smoothed, no decoration.

 

 C-Khuoch (Bottle)

 There is a base of pot that can be recognized as Khuoch (Fig.33). The fragment remains from the shoulder to bottom of the pot. This piece was made of gray clay mixed fine sand, applied with dark brown glaze, or sometime the thick area is black. The quality of glaze is good, about 0.5mm thick, sticky but cracked traces are shown. Actually, the glaze was applied on the both walls of the pot. But there is a difference between the outer and inner walls. The outer wall was once probably painted with iron slip or some kind of liquids before applying the glaze. This can be seen on the thin area of the glaze and the lower part near the edge of the base that was not applied by glaze. This was also a kind of technique of the potters in order to make the color of the brown glaze become dark brown or black. The inner wall's glaze is very thin and looks like a dull yellowish brown color, but at the lower part where the thick glaze remains is black. There are some decorations on the shoulder and near the base of the pot. From the shoulder to the middle part of the body, there are probably five or six of groups of three vertical-incised lines. There are also circle-incised lines nearby the base of the pot, perhaps two or three lines. Traces of clay coiling and polishing also remain on the walls. There is not any mark on the bottom of the pot. Besides, another piece of rim is maybe the rim of the Khuoch (Fig.32).

 

 D-Koath (Urn)

 There are two pieces of shards that could approximately parts from Koaths. One is rim part (Fig.30) and another is base fragment (Fig.31). The rim part is small, actually made of dull reddish gray clay mixed very fine sand, hard but applied with low quality of glaze, which very thin and cracked. The glaze was applied maybe from the lower part of the body up to the upper part of the wall or the curved part of the rim. The curved part of the rim is unglazed. There is not any decoration. Only traces of polishing are remained on the outer and inner walls.

 Another piece of base, according to its shape and traces of clay coiling, is maybe belonged to the base of the Koath. This piece was made of dull gray clay mixed rough sand, applied with glaze on both sides of the wall.

 

 E-Kralo (Crock)

 It is a kind of container, which has wide body, short united bottom, swelled-up bodies and stepped-united mouth 22. The outside walls were polished and glazed light yellow and green colors. There is not any design on the bodies. The inside walls were not polished well, and there are traces of clay-corning making technique.

Actually, there are many pieces of bodies and bases that form similarly to Kralo, these pieces are difficult to be identified as Kralo. For example, there is a small piece of base that could be a base of such kind of Kralo (Fig.34). Usually, we have seen such pots were applied with green glaze or unglazed. It is rarely to see brown glaze Kralo.

However, the thinkable base fragment of Kralo is made of dark gray clay, which seems to be mixed by some ash or charcoal and rough sand, applied with glaze probably from the top of the pot till nearby the bottom of it. The glaze is not so good quality, the thin area almost disappeared, only the thick parts of the glaze, especially in the incised lines the glaze still remains very clear in dark color. Observably, there is trace of iron slip or some kinds of liquids perhaps firstly applied before glazing, because the trace of that dull reddish brown color still remains on the surface of the pot's wall where the glaze was not applied on. The inner wall of the pot seems not to be applied with glaze, but there are some drops of glaze remain. It is decorated by circle-incised lines on the outer wall, while some traces of clay coiling and polishing are shown through the inner wall. The bottom of the pot is rough, and no mark.

 

 F-Four-Ear Pot (Photo 7)

  We have found some pieces of ceramics that were added by clay blocks as the ears or handles. It is not clear about the original shapes of these fragments, because they are just small parts of approximately shoulders of the pots. But normally, by comparing to the other found pots from the other sites, the four-ear ceramics are big jars or high-body storage pots. Actually, the four-ear fragments found from Western Top are made of gray clay, mixed rough sand, applied with so good qualities of glazes.

 

 G-Ka-am (Water Jar)

 There is not any complete or big fragment of Ka-am found from the excavation trenches, but just some small pieces of rims (Fig.35-Fig.37), and shoulders of probable Ka-am were collected. Even these fragments are not sure to be the real shapes of Ka-am, but typologically similar pieces of such shape of pots firstly are recognized as Ka-am. Normally, these fragments were made of dark gray clay mixed rough sand, applied with good quality of glaze. The rim pieces were decorated by circle-ridged lines while the shoulder pieces were designed by circle-incised lines, and some of them look like star angle-incised lines.

 

 H-Unknown Fragments

 Most of the fragments of the rims, and base, especially the bodies can not recognized or identified as shapes of the pots. Generally, these fragments mainly are pieces of big jars, approximately belonged to some kinds of Prang (basins), Kandin (storage pots) and some other shapes of unknown pots. Very few of them are fragments of small pots. These fragments were made of gray and dark gray clays, applied with low and high qualities of dark brown and blackish glazes. The dark gray clay seems to be mixed by ash or grainy pieces of charcoal. Particularly, a few of them were made of light gray and light yellowish gray, applied with glazes that look like greenish brown and yellowish brown colors.

 

 6. Unglazed Wares (Photo 4)

 It is also very difficult to recognize and classify the shapes of stoneware unglazed fragments. Actually, there are so many pieces of rims, necks, shoulders, bodies and bases were found from the excavated trenches, but they are just small pieces, so the original sizes and shapes can not be known. However, only several shapes of pots can primarily be verified, such as Kumrop. Tanlap, Koath, Ka-am and Peang. The other fragments can not be identified as shapes. They will just be informed as in generally unknown fragments.

 

 A-Kumrop (Cover)

Only a piece of rim (Fig.55) of cover fragment was found from the layer 3 of trench FB01. It is not sure to what kinds of pots that this cover is belonged. This cover was made of yellowish gray clay mixed fine sand. The rim is little round lip. There are traces of polishing on the outer wall.

 

 B-Tanlap (Covered-box)

We already showed a big piece of probable Tanlap, which was made of gray clay applied with brown glaze. There is also a piece (Fig.56), probably big size, of Tanlap found from the layer3 of trench FB01. This fragment was made of dark gray clay mixed fine sand. It seems to be painted by clay water on the surface of the pot, because its surface is dull orange color. The original gray color of the clay appears where the dull orange slip became thinner. There are traces of polishing on the both walls.

 

 C-Koath (Urn)

Apiece of the base (Fig.57) found in layer3 of trench G-S is thought to be probably the base of the Koath. According to the shape, size and remains of traces of clay coiling where very often seen on the inner walls of the other Koaths, the fragment is primarily recognized as Koath. This fragment was made of dull reddish gray clay mixed very fine and grainy sand. It was fired in high temperature. The outer wall is blackish gray, while the inner wall is reddish gray looks like oxidized iron color. There is not any mark on the bottom, but it shows some traces of remain of glaze or natural glaze appearing unclearly from the clay.

 

 D-Ka-am (Water Jar)

 It is same to the brown glaze fragments of the Ka-ams. We have found some rims (Fig.59-Fig.61), shoulder (Fig.62) and bases that could maybe the fragments of such pots. Some of them are made of red clay, mixed rough sand, not so high temperature. Some others were made of gray and dark gray, mixed fine sand and fired in high temperature. The rim pieces are designed by circle-ridged lines and the shoulder pieces are decorated with circle-ridged and circle-incised lines. The bases are smoothed and no mark.

 

 E-Peang (Basins)

 It is kind of stoneware pot, which has large side, united base, wide body and mouth 23. There are some pieces of rims, shoulders and bases (Fig.67) form as such kinds or shapes of Peang. Several pieces of rim and shoulders from same pot, but were separately excavated from different trenches. One piece of rim (Fig.68) was excavated in layer 3 of trench CA01 24, and other four pieces of shoulders were found in layer 3 of trench FB01. These fragments exactly are from same pot, but some of them can not be joined together, because some parts already disappeared. These fragments were made of red clay mixed rough sand, sometime there are small gravels. Basing the sizes of the mouth and body, it was probably along-body Peang, which designed by circle-incised lines around the neck and shoulder and curved-incised lines look like the lines of waves over and under the area of shoulder. Its original height is not known.

 Besides, some other fragments are also thought to be the broken pieces of Peang. These pieces were mainly made of red clay mixed sand. Some decorated by circle-incised or ridged lines on the rims and shoulders.

 

 7. Green-Brown Ware or Two-Color Glaze Ware (Photo 5)

 It is very rare to find the green-brown glaze fragments from Western Top temple. There are only three pieces of neck, originally from the same pot (Fig.54), found in layer 2 of trench FA01. Its original shape can not be known. Actually these fragments were made of reddish gray clay mixed rough sand and few of gravels, probably from the base to the neck, and light gray clay mixed fine sand, maybe from the neck to the top. This was maybe a special technique of the potters in the way of making two color-glaze pots. The lower part of the pot, especially the reddish gray portion was applied with brown glaze while the light gray clay portion was applied by green glaze. For the two basic glazes on a single pot. typically, the green glaze is applied to the upper portion, usually the neck, and the brown glaze to the lower, with the boundaries between glazes 25. The two colors are combined on vessels in different ways. They usually form distinctly separate parts of the vessel, which may be marked off by carved lines. The divisions emphasize the horizontal aspects of the form. A typical combination is a light green mouth and neck with a brown body. Sometimes the green covers a larger area such as the mouth, neck, and shoulder and the body is a dark brown color 26.

 Through these fragments and basing on the cross section indicate that the potters firstly formed the lower part of the pot by using reddish gray clay, then made the top of the reddish gray clay become thinner from the area of the shoulder, finally added the light gray clay to build up the neck and rim of the pot. This is also probably concerned with the brightness of the colors of the glazes, because the brown glaze would become more darker or blackish brown color when it is applied on the reddish or dark gray clays. To this point, I have observed that there is another technique or way of making darker or blackish brown color of the glaze. The potters, basing on some fragments, firstly painted a kind of liquid that perhaps contains iron compound, then applied the brown glaze.

 However, there will be another detail study about this technique of making two-glaze wares.

 

 8. Decorations

 Briefly, I have observed that there are some different designs on the fragments, especially the brown glaze and unglazed shards. Generally, these designs can be seen the shoulders and the necks of the big size pots, while very few seen the small green glaze wares. Actually, there are several types of designs. Firstly, the circle-incised lines around the bodies, shoulders, necks and the rims of the pots mostly are shown on to all sizes of decorated pots' fragments. Other geographic incised lines sometime found on the shoulders of the big sizes of unglazed and brown pots. Secondly, the circle-ridged lines are very often decorated on the shoulders, necks and rims of the big jars. Thirdly, some unglazed fragments were designed by cord-mark lines on the probably whole bodies. Finally, another kind of decoration is observed. It is a kind of clay-added design that rarely found on the brown glaze fragments. Sometime, clay balls were added to around the shoulder or neck of the pot by designing as the petals of lotus flowers (Photo 6). This design is also seen on a complete pot of brown glaze looks like a baluster-shape pot 27.

 

 9. Discussion

 Surely, it is very difficult to date and suggest the original kiln sites for the collected fragments from the Western Top temple. The problem is that even there are many kiln sites found, researched and already excavated by local and international research institutes, but the dates of those sites are still in doubt, not quite exact by comparing to the historical events. Moreover, a few kiln sites though they were probably established in different periods, but the ceramic characters, especially the shapes, forms, qualities of clays and glazes are quite similar, for example the sites of Sar Sey and Anlong Thorn. The green glaze wares and unglazed wares of other two kiln sites, Khnar Po and Bang Koang, are also very similar. Except the ceramic products from the kiln of Tani village are different from those four kiln sites, especially the qualities of clays and glazes. This time, for the collected fragments from the Western Top temple, I will not discus deeply and detail about the dates and production places of these fragments. It needs more time to do other analyze, and more better in case there is a scientific measuring for the clays' and glazes' compounds and mixtures.

                                                                                                                                                                         Essentially, it is not possible to date the ceramic fragments by using the cultural layers shown in the excavated trenches, because mainly the soil layers inside the Buddhist terrace and around the sandstone towers are newly filled up when the three sandstone  towers and the Buddhist terrace were constructed. Surely, some green glaze fragments that thought to be dated in early 9th century were also found mixing with the brown glaze fragments, which dated at least early 12th century, especially mixing with Chinese white and green wares that thought to be in 12th to 14th centuries. This indicates that the unglazed, green and brown glaze wares were from different sites and periods, and using by probably different people around the Western Top for over centuries, then these fragments were brought with the soil to fill up as the basement of, at least, the 14th century and later buildings.

However, we can suggest some fragments of these ceramic pieces. The green glaze fragments are mainly good qualities of clays and glazes very similar to those found at two kiln sites such as Sar Sei and Anlong Thorn. Especially, several pieces of rims of the bowls have same shapes of the rims of the bowls found at Anlong Thorn kiln site 28. Moreover, a piece of brown glaze cover is also similar to the yellowish brown glaze cover produced at Anlong Thorn (Thanl Mrec 02 kiln) 29. But it is not yet sure that the brown glaze cover piece found at Western Top temple was imported from Anlong Thorn kiln site. Actually, such kind of yellowish brown or brown glaze wares are thought to be appeared in the reign of the King Suryavarman I (1002A.D-1050A.D) 30. Besides, some other brown glaze fragments are also can be identified about the original production places. Medium size jars, especially the baluster shape fragments are similar to brown glaze pots found produced at probably Buriram kiln site. One fragment of the shoulder, which decorated by clay-added balls as the petals of lotus flowers seems to be the product from Buriram (Photo 6. and see Luois:2000:90-91), probably dated to 11th-12th centuries. Some other brown glaze fragments seem not to be produced and imported from the sites known as Ban Kruat and Ban Phluan. These fragments mainly are big and high body jars, applied with low qualities of glazes, oppositely different from the small size pots applied with dark grown or blackish brown glazes.

Discovery of kilns along the road between Beng Melea and Preah Khan of Kompong Svay provides first evidence that brown glaze ceramics were produced east of Angkor. Previous discussions of brown glazed wares being produced and transported exclusively from Ban Kruat and Ban Phluan can now be put aside 31. In his paper, near the site known as Teap Chei temple area, about five kiln mounds are shown, and some fragments of big jars (brown glaze and unglazed) are also illustrated in the photos. Unfortunately, there is not any detail description about ceramic typology provided in his brief report. Three other sites of big size brown glaze wares were also mentioned my last report on Recent Survey to Some Historical and Kiln Sites 32. These sites are also along the road from Beng Mealea to Prah Khan of Kompong Svay, several kilometers in the east of Teap Chei, located in 103 and 104 villages. Various shapes and types of the jars, brown glaze and unglazed, shown with drawing. Basing on the collected fragments from those sites and by comparing to the found pieces of brown glaze wares at western top, indicate that some of the fragments from the Western Top temple are quite similar to those found at the three kiln sites' products. However, the sites are not yet detail surveyed and dated. So even the fragments found at Western Top surely were from those sites, but the exact dates are still unknown.

Finally, another special piece of two-color ware fragment was also found in the layer 2 of trench FA01. According to Dawn F. Rooney, the green and brown colors on a single piece are classified as 'two-color' wares, which were produced for a short period of lime from the middle to the end of the eleventh century and represented only a small per cent of total ceramic production 33.

 

Conclusion

Through the research works done at Western Top temple, many fragments of different ceramics, Chinese and Khmer wares including earthenware, stoneware unglazed, green and brown glazes, were unearthed. Step by step, the artifacts were collected from separate excavated trenches and invented in lists and database. In the case of the primary study about stoneware unglazed, green and brown glaze fragments from this site, this is just the first analyze of some recognizable pieces of Khmer ceramics, especially the green and brown glaze wares. It is not a specific site that we can detail and clearly analyze and describe particularly the general information of these ceramic fragments. However, some of these fragments are able to be recognized the original shapes and probable sites where they were imported from, actually the different periods and places. There will be another further analyze and discussion for these found fragments in order to get a crucial information for clarify the historical background of the Western Top temple, and also development of Khmer ceramic productions.

 

8 Western Top temple located in the west-south of Bayon temple, about 100m in the south of a road toward the western gate of the Angkor Thorn wall, and was invented by a French researcher as Monument 486.

9 E. LUNET DE LAIONQUIERE, Inventaire Descriptif des Monuments du Cambodge. Tome troisieme, Paris, 1911. p74.

10 APSARA Authority. Department of Culture, Report of Excavation Work at Western Top Temple, Siem Reap. 2003, page 1. (written in Khmer)

11 Basing on the discovered Chinese fragments, Prof. Sugiyama Hiroshi thought these fragments especially the white ware covered box and green glaze celadon could be dated at least in the first half of twelfth to early fourteenth centuries.

12 In his brief description in Inventaire Descriptif des Monuments du Cambodge, E. LUNET DE LAJONQUIERE wrote that the three towers were built by brick.

13 Primarily, through the cultural layers of trench FA01, which was excavated in July 2007, nearby the north west corner of the central tower, some white porcelain fragments were discovered inside the basic soil layers of basement of the laterite and sandstone basements of the central tower. According to these fragments, actually from De Fua kiln, in South-east of China, they consider the central tower is 14th century and two other towers are not so late from the construction of the central tower.

14 Henri Marchal, Notes Sur Le Monument 486D'Angkor Thorn, BEFEO, Tome XXV, Hanoi. 1925.p411-416

15 Louise Finot, Inscription d'Angkor Thorn, BEFEO. Tome XXV. Hanoi, pp298-410.

16 Excavation trench on eastern terrace in August 2004

17 Excavation trench in January 2007

18 Excavation trench in north-west corner of the central tower, July 2007

19 Sok Keo Sovannara, Summery of Ceramics of Sar Sei Kiln Site, 『カンボジアにおける中世遺跡と日本人町の研究』文部科学省科学研究費補助金特別研究促進費報告書 2008 P.36

20 Sok Keo Sovannara, Khmer Ceramic Typology through the Ancient Words, in the Bulletin of Forbes, Washington D.C, 2007, p228.

21 Sok Keo Sovannara. Kulalabhajana Lor Sar Sei [Ceramics of Sar Sei kiln site]. BA thesis, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh. 2003, p 18.

22 Sok Keo Sovannara. Kulalabhajana Lor Sar Sei [Ceramics of Sar Sei kiln site]. BA thesis, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh. 2003, p 17.

23 Sok Keo Sovannara, Summery of Ceramics of Sar Sei Kiln Site, in Research of Japanese Village and Middle Period Remains in Cambodia. Nara. 2008. p 37.

24 Excavation trench in the north of the Buddhist terrace to laterite enclosure. July 2007

25 Louise A. Cort. Khmer Stoneware Ceramics, Asian Traditional in Clay, Washington, 2000, p120.

26 Dawn F. Rooney, Khmer Ceramics, Singapore, Oxford University Press, 1984, p 35

27 Louise A. Cort, Khmer Stoneware Ceramics, Asian Traditional in Clay, Washington. 2000. p 90.

28 See Chay Rachna, Kiln Site of Thnal Mrech, Apsara Authority, Siem Reap, 2009, p 10 (in Khmer).

29 I have observed that some brown glaze covers collected from Anlong thorn by Apsra members are quite similar to a piece found at Westrn Top, either clay or glaze. Unfortunately, the brown glaze covers of Anlong Thom were not detail described in their report. Particularly, the yellowis brown and brown glaze covers and other small size pots are seen only at this site, while other four green glaze production sites in the east of Angkor region, such Sar Sei, Khnar Po, Tani and Bang Kaoang, seem not to make such kind of small brown glaze wares, or very small amount that rarely to see..

30 Roxanna M. Brown, The Khmer Wares, Their dating and Identification, in The Ceramics of South-East Asia, 2nded, Singapore, 1988, pp 51-53.

31 Mitch Hendrickson, New Evidence of Brown Glaze Stoneware Kilns along the East Road from Angkor, in IPPA Bulletin 28, 2008, p 56.

32 Sok Keo Sovannara, Recent Survey to Some Historical and Kiln Sites, Siem Reap,2008.

33 Dawn F. Rooney, Khmer Ceramics, Singapore, Oxford University Press, 1984,p 35.

 

 

 第4節 参考文献

Giteau, Madeleine. Le bornage rituel des temples bouddhiques au Cambodge. Paris: Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient. 1969.

Hishida, Tetsuo. "On the Banteay Buddhist Burial Pits at Kdei Temple: a Comparative of Buried Buddhist Relics from China and Japan. "Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 21 (2004): 50-51.

Thomson, Ashley. "The Ancestral Cull in Transition: Reflections on Spatial Organization in Cambodia's early Theravada Complex." Southeast Asian Archaeology (1996): 273-201.

Ueno, Kunikazu. "On the Archaeological Work in Banteay Kdei: 19th Angkor Mission by Sophia University. "Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 14 (1997): 199-204.

"The process of Archaeological Excavation and Perception." Renaissance Culturelle du Cambodge 21 (2004): 42-43.

 

 第5節 参考文献

Chay Rachna, 2009, Kiln Site of Thnal Mrech, Apsara Authority, Siem Reap.

E. LUNETDE LAJONQUIERE, 1911. Inventaire Descriptif des Monuments du Cambodge. Tome troisieme, Paris.

APSARA Authority, 2003. Department of Culture, Report of Excavation Work at Western Top Temple, Siem Reap. (written in Khmer)

Henri Marchal, 1925, Notes Sur Le Monument 486 D'Angkor Thorn, BEFEO, Tome XXV, Hanoi,, pp411-416.

Louise Finot, 1925, Inscription d'Angkor Thorn, BEFEO, Tome XXV, Hanoi, pp 298410.

Louise A. Cort, 2000, Khmer Stoneware Ceramics, Asian Traditional in Clay, Washington,.

Dawn F. Rooney, 1984, Khmer Ceramics, Singapore, Oxford University Press,

Roxanna M. Brown, 1988, The Khmer Wares, Their dating and Identification, in The Ceramics of South-East Asia, 2nd ed. Singapore.

Sok Keo Sovannara, 2003, Kulalabhajana Lor Sar Sei (Ceramics of Sar Sei kiln site). BA thesis, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh (written in Khmer).

Sok Keo Sovannara, 2007, Khmer Ceramic Typology through the Ancient Words, in the Bulletin of Forbes, Washington D.C, pp223-232.

Sok Keo Sovannara, 2008, Summery of Ceramics of Sar Sei Kiln Site, 『カンボジアにおける中世遺跡と日本人町の研究』文部科学省科学研究費補助金特別研究促進費報告書 2008,pp34-43.

Sok Keo Sovannara, 2008. Recent Survey to Some Historical and Kiln Sites, Siem Reap.

 

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