TA KEO TEMPLE (Ancestor Keo)

TA KEO TEMPLE (Ancestor Keo)
- Location : east of “Thommnon and Chau Say Tevoda”.
 - Access : enter and leave the temple from the east and south entrances.
 - Date : end of the 10th century to the early 11th century (1,000).
 - King : Jayavarman 5th (968-1001) and Suryavarman 1st (1002-1050).
 - Religion : Hinduism (dedicated to god Siva)
 - Art-style : Khleangs.
 - Clearance worked by Mr. Henri Marchal and Charle Batteur (1920-1922).
 - Posthumous name: Paramaviraloka and Paramanirvanapada.

 1. BACKGROUND
Ta Keo is one of the largest monuments in Angkor Park, that is never finished and the reason is still unknown. One story suggested the temple was hit by lightning. This temple separated the other monuments in The Angkor Group, because of the absence of decoration and especially the 5 towers were made of green sandstone, which is brittle and another one said all the 5 towers were originally covered by the coating of copper, but today nothing left.

 2. LAY-OUT
Ta Keo had a rectangular plan and stood on a high base with 5 levels supported the 5 square towers, 4 towers are at the corners and one tower is in the corner of the plan. The temple had a steep stairway on each of the 4 sides of the base. It was surrounded by a moat, but now dries up. There are 2 sandstone walls enclosed the temple. The first wall stood on the first level (2.2 meters in height) and the wall is (100 meters wide by 120 meters long) which had 4 entry gates that are in the shape of across. In the courtyard of the first wall, there are 2 rectangular sandstone halls (3 meters wide by 22 meters long) at the east side of the wall and serving for the pilgrims. The second wall (narrow gallery 1.5 meters wide) stood on the second level (5.5 meters in height) and the wall is (75 meters wide by 80 meters long) which had 4 entry gates are in the shape of across. In the courtyard at the east side there are 2 halls in the first level. Next to there halls there are 2 libraries that opening to the west. They found the inscription on the east gate of the first wall and the second wall dated in A.D 1007 (end of the 10th century to the early 11th century) and referring to the sandstone inscription was found in the southern library dated in A.D 893, which was the reign of the king Yasovarman 1st, saying that the temple was built in the reign of the king Suryavarman 1st (Madam Coral Remusat and Mr. Victor Goloubew and Mr. George Soedes). According to these facts and to the texts of the inscription Mr. Soedes supposed that Ta Keov symbolized the mountain (Hemakiri), “Golden Mountain” that used as “The Head Quarter of the Justice of the Mandarins” and another idea said, it also used as “The Center of the City”, (Ja-yen-dhra-nakari) of king Jayavarman 5th and later had taken up by king Suryavarman 1st. Well! The third level is (47 meters for each side and 58 meters in height). And the fourth level is (35 meters for each side and 4.5 meters in height). The fifth level is 30 meters for each side and 3.6 meters in height which supported the 5 towers). The total height is 21.6 meters for 5 levels.

 3. TOP LEVEL
The upper level supported the 5 towers, 4 towers are at the corners and one tower is in the center. The towers are without decoration and opening to the 4 directions.