Urbanism and Residential Patterning in Angkor. (18th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carter, Alison; Heng, Piphal; Stark, Miriam; Chhay, Rachna; Evans, Damian
• Is Part Of: Journal of field archaeology. Volume 43:Number 6(2018)
• Page Start: 492
• Page End: 506
• Publication Date: 2018-08-18
• Subjects: Angkor -- Cambodia -- urbanism -- LiDAR -- community planning; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 930.105
• DOI: 10.1080/00934690.2018.1503034
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0093-4690

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Khmer Empire (9th–15th centuriesa.d. ), centered on the Greater Angkor region, was the most extensive political entity in the history of mainland Southeast Asia. Stone temples constructed by Angkorian kings and elites were widely assumed to have been loci of ritual as well as habitation, though the latter has been poorly documented archaeologically. In this paper, we present the results of two field seasons of excavation at the temple site of Ta Prohm. Using LiDAR data to focus our excavations, we offer evidence for residential occupation within the temple enclosure from before the 11th centurya.d. until the 14th century. A comparison with previous work exploring habitation areas within the Angkor Wat temple enclosure highlights similarities and differences between the two temples. We argue that temple habitation was a key component of the Angkorian urban system and that investigating this unique form of urbanism expands current comparative research on the diversity of ancient cities.