Construction sequence of the Koh Ker monuments in Cambodia deduced from the chemical composition and magnetic susceptibility of its laterites

Researchers have identified five distinct construction stages of the Koh Ker monuments in Cambodia using chemical analysis and magnetic susceptibility of laterite blocks. The study found that laterites with low strontium (Sr) content (<300 ppm) and high quartz content, as well as those with high Sr content (>400 ppm) and low quartz content, were used at different stages. By analyzing these properties alongside the assumption of outward construction progression, the team determined that brick sanctuaries are the oldest structures, followed by sandstone sanctuaries, while laterite sanctuaries were built last. High Sr-content laterites likely originated from quarries near Srayang village, though the provenance of low Sr-content laterites remains undetermined.

Uchida, E., Tsuda, K., & Shimoda, I. (2014). Construction sequence of the Koh Ker monuments in Cambodia deduced from the chemical composition and magnetic susceptibility of its laterites. Heritage Science, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-7445-2-10