Ancient monument number 1, Mueang Sema

Terrain

General condition

Located in the inner city of Sema on the north side of the crow's pit Covering an area of ​​more than 10,000 square kilometers The condition before the excavation was covered with forests. In the middle of the area is a high mound. There are traces of digging for treasure. The present condition has been excavated, restored and landscape improvement by the Fine Arts Department, in good condition.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Lam Ta Khong, Mun River, tributaries such as Huai Phai.

Geological conditions

[See Muang Sema]

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Archaeological site number 1, Muang Sema, is a castle in the Khmer-style shared culture. Made of bricks and sandstone There is a rectangular plan, size 45 x 50 meters, facing south. The state left only the base about 1 meter high, comprising 1 main castle, 2 wihans, 1 southeastern building base and a glass wall.

- President's Castle There is a rectangular plan, size 8.8 x 22 meters, with only the base left damaged. which is a lotus base made of bricks On the south side, which is the entrance-exit door of the main castle, there is an antara connected with a cross-shaped mondop. There are stairs going up and down on 3 sides:south, west and east. By the way up - down on the south side, there is a brick insulator connecting the gopura of the glass wall. The steps leading up and down the side of the Mondop are made of sandstone. Inside this front room, several sandstone door frames were found in front of the stairs leading up and down.

As for the Kharbhagarha room, it is a room with a raised base with a square plan to increase the corners. Inside enshrines a sculpture pedestal found from excavation. On the floor of the room was a long line of Ginseng Sutra pipes starting from under the sculpture base to the east side.

- The Temple The west and east sides of the main castle are flanked by a viharn about 4 meters apart in the same line. Defective condition, leaving only a brick base. It has a rectangular plan measuring 6 x 12.30 meters. The front has a protruding porch and 2 entrances and exits.

- Southeastern Building Base It is located in front of the sanctuary on the east side, about 10 meters away. The condition is damaged, leaving only a brick base. There is a rectangular plan with dimensions of 3.8 x 5 meters, about 50 centimeters high, with a flat base.

- The Glass Wall The plan is rectangular, size 43.40 x 48.60 meters, 1.20 meters thick. The southern glass wall is made of bricks, leaving only the lotus base, which is built on a chopping board made of sandstone. From the excavation, it was found that some of the chopping board bases were made of inscriptions from earlier times. In the center of the glass wall is the Gopura arch in a cross-shaped layout. The damaged state left only the base which was made of sandstone to support the brick wall. There are stairs going up - down. made of sandstone The façade of Gopura outside the glass wall is insulated with extended bricks. The two sides of the Gopura arch are approximately 4 meters apart, in line with the temple. There are stairs going up - down. made of sandstone As for the north and east walls, there are no entrances and exits.

At the southwest corner of the glass wall, there is a rectangular room measuring 6.80 x 20 meters, continuing along the wall. There are stairs going up and down in the northeast corner. This feature is found on the glass wall of Prasat Muang Khaek which is about 6 kilometers to the east.

From the excavation found a piece of the idol base. Shivling Piece 2 pieces of sandstone idol base in circular shape like lotus base Konthi parts Pieces of sandstone Buddha images that were used to make the base of the glass wall. standing imprint A thin robe wrapped around the body Phra Phakha lifted up, but the arm was broken. Looks like a Buddha statue Dvaravati influenced by Gupta and Gupta-era Indian art, inscriptions, architectural ornaments such as sandstone jackfruit petals. Large lotus base piece

Construction Techniques Archaeological Site No. 1, Mueang Sema, every house uses the same construction technique, which is to compact the soil and bring small fragments of purple sandstone and sand to fill the core. Then take brick or sandstone to form the edge and floor before building up. By using bricks with relatively fine texture without rice husk mixed with bricks used to build ancient monuments in Khmer culture. without mortar and then plastered over the brick wall in the weight-bearing structure Some building decorations are made of sandstone, such as door frames, window frames, jackfruit petals, lotus bases, etc.

However, it was found that the brick line in the inner layer of the main base used large bricks with a lot of rice husks, which is the brick used in Dvaravati culture.

At archaeological site No. 1, Mueang Sema, there are inscriptions related to the castle, including:

Inscription of Crow's Pond Found around the Crow Pond, which is on the south side of the archaeological site, Khmer script, Sanskrit and Khmer, dated 1411 AD. The content mentions that the King of Srijanasa kingdom dedicated cattle and slaves, both women and men, to monks. The second part praises Shiva and Angsathep, who received the territories that were abandoned outside of Cambodia. and was the creator of the lingam for the gods (Department of Fine Arts 1986 :23-29)

Mueang Sema Inscription Found around the city of Sema ancient Khmer script Sanskrit and Khmer Identify the Maharaja 893, which corresponds to the year 1514, beginning with the worship of the Brahmin gods, namely Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Uma and Saraswati. Then mention Jayavarman V, or King Rama V as he was the son of King Rajendravarman. and descended from Chandrawong and mentions the royal duties of Jayavarman V, and finally mentions the senior officials who have built many idols and Buddha images. as well as offering slaves and other things to religious sites (Department of Fine Arts 1986 :42-49)

New found inscription During the excavation of archaeological site No. 1 at the southern glass wall The inscription was taken as the base of the glass wall. Ancient Khmer script, Khmer language has no effect on reading and translating. Specify the Great Era of 849 and 1470 (Khemika Wangsuk 2000 :42)

From the evidence of architecture, sculptures and inscriptions found near the archaeological site, it is assumed that archaeological site No. 1, Muang Sema, was built for Brahminism. sectarianism There may have been a change from a Buddhist place to a place of worship when Brahmanism began to have influence in this region. and probably built at the same time as the castle and Non Ku Castle which is far to the east of the city of Sema Both of these castles are aged around the second half of the 15th Buddhist century, matching the Khmer style of Koh Ker. (MR. Suriyawut Surawaswat 1994 :62)