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Angkor’s Iron Age: The Pre-Imperial Khmer
Description
Before the temples and the devaraja cult, the Khmer people lived through a transformative period known as the Iron Age. This episode uncovers the archaeological evidence from sites like Phum Snay, Prohear, and the Dong Son bronze drums found in Cambodia. We discuss the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to complex chiefdoms, the role of iron tools in clearing the dense jungles, and the trade networks that brought Chinese mirrors and Indian beads to the Mekong region. Lucas and Luna explore how these early communities laid the groundwork for the Angkorian empire, including the emergence of warrior elites and ritual practices involving water buffalo sacrifices. It’s a story of gradual transformation, not sudden collapse, from the first millennium BCE to the dawn of the Funan period.