The role of astronomy in the anomalous orientations of two khmer state-temples

Abstract

Among the magnificent temple complexes built during the Khmer empire, two single out both for their distance from the Angkor heartland as well as for their anomalous, not cardinal, orientation: Koh Ker and Preah Khan of Kompong Svay. Their orientations are shown here to be connected with two relevant astronomical phenomena, namely the zenith passages of the sun and the rising of the Moon at the northern maximal standstill, respectively.