Prasat Ak Yum (also written Ak Yom) is one of the oldest spoil in Angkor. It is placed on the south facet of the West Baray, at about one kilometer east from its southwest corner. I have examined this difficult to understand ruins and have enquired with Mr. Han, my tuk-tuk driver, on how to get there. It was once new to him too, and he wasn't sure.

Upon arriving through the banks of the West Baray, Mr. Han went to seem for help. He got here again with any other character on some other motorcycle. It used to be one of the park keepers. He requested the park keeper to assist take my female friend Chooi Yoke and me to Ak Yum.

The ride to Ak Yum was once achieved on the return of two motorcycles. It used to be one of the first few instances Chooi Yoke had ridden on a bike and she used to be pretty excited. The two bikes sped via the sandy bund alongside the side of the exceptional baray. We have been extraordinary through the velocity these two guys have been going on the gentle crimson earth. It was once a bit of an anti-climax when we all of sudden arrived at Ak Yum. Get Amazing Deals on Domestic International Flight Bookings with american airlines reservations to Ak Yum.

Ak Yum is no longer a remarkable temple, and for most tourists, until they are hardcore explorers like myself, inclined to research about Angkor in-depth, they will locate Ak Yum to be a yawning disappointment. The ruins have now not been completely cleared. Nevertheless, Ak Yum supplied fantastic archaeological significance for being the oldest ruins in the location - older even than the first Angkor. Ak Yum is even older than the West Baray. When the baray used to be constructed, it precipitated the phase of Ak Yum to be buried. When conservations restored Ak Yum, they had to cross a giant quantity of earth and even had to blast the dike of the baray.

Ak Yum used to be probable commenced in the seventh century however did now not take its remaining shape till the starting of the 9th. There is evidence of renovations carried out and the re-use of many of the stones. Ak Yum ought to have been in part buried when the axial avenue west from the first Angkor metropolis of Bakheng was once installed (refer to Phnom Bakheng). Then the existing baray was once constructed around the eleventh century, and Ak Yum used to be tremendously plenty buried below the dike of the southern bank.

Inscriptions on the jamb stones and a "stone of the 9 divinities" supply respectively the dates of 609, 704, and 1001. From these historical inscriptions, we analyze that Ak Yum used to be devoted to the deity Gambhiresvara. It was once an early manifestation of the temple mountain - I ought to even name it the prototype. At that time, an actual tiered pyramid-like these devoted to the cult of the "Devaraja" or royal linga has now not but been established.

Nevertheless, with its terraces on three levels, Ak Yum was once already adopting the step pyramid style. The building of Ak Yum, by archaeologist Philip Stern, has to have been between the departure of king Jayavarman II for Phnom Kulen and the accession of Indravarman in 877. Several different remains, certainly of pre-Angkorian design, have been located in the surrounding area. Visit southwest airlines reservations to find the best offers on flight tickets to Ak Yum.

I discovered that Ak Yum used to be constructed completely of bricks. Only the surrounds had been of sandstone. The base platform as properly as the two higher tiers had been additionally bricks. There are projecting motifs on the holding walls. According to archaeological surveys, the sanctuary ought to have been blanketed with a trees framework. That's due to the fact holes for the aiding beams can nevertheless be viewed on the walls.