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Metals
Evidence suggests the presence of occupation in Cambodia in
the prehistoric period, over 6000 years ago, but neither the
origin nor the dates the earliest inhabitants lived in the
area can be traced. Anyhow it is likely that inhabitants
throughout South East Asia developed not only basic skills
such as the cultivation of rice and domestication of
buffalos but also the use of metals at about the same time
and in a similar way. It is widely assumed that the
technology of bronze-casting began in Cambodia sometime
between 1500 and 1000 BC and became a major industry by 500
BC at which time bronze was used to make a wide range of
tools, weapons, ritual objects and ornaments. Traces like
axes, sickles and knifes in bronze have been found on
Neolithic sites.
The Khmers have then reproduced in iron the tools that were
already existing in bronze and especially different types of
chisels which were used by carpenters as well as for carving
bricks or sandstone.
I will show you on the spot the clams made in iron or in
bronze (dovetailed or double T) which were used to link
together stone blocks.
As noted by the 13th century Chinese Observer Tcheou Ta
Kouan (see chapter « Daily life in the 13rh century »,
sheets of copper or bronze have lined the walls of important
central shrines. Regular holes in some walls also suggest
this function. Metal was certainly used to embellish the
temples. Tcheou Ta Kouan described the “golden tower” (of
the Bayon) and a “tower of bronze” (The Baphuon) as well as
a “golden bridge” boarded by two lions of gold with eight
golden Buddha.
| The strange discovery of a big lying
Vishnu
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