The Historical Ecology of Prasat Baset, Battambang Province, Cambodia

Alison Kyra Carter1*, Miriam Stark2, Phoebe France3, Ben Marwick4, Dan Penny5, and Liying Wang6

Archaeological empires transform ecosystems, as the 9th to 15th century CE Angkorian Empire (Southeast Asia) clearly illustrates. This study examines the temple community of Prasat Baset, which was established by the 5th century CE. In the 11th century CE, the region underwent a political shift as it became incorporated into the expanding Angkor state through the construction of the sandstone Baset temple by King Suryavarman I. Our paper reports findings from the analysis of phytoliths, pollen, soil chemistry, and geoarchaeological data from the Pteah Cambodia project. Collectively, these offer insights on the political economy of land-use and provide evidence for ecological change at Prasat Baset before, during, and after its incorporation into the Angkor Empire.