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The Black Stone of Angkor: Who Stole the Yoni from Wat Preah Thong?
Description
In the early 14th century, a mysterious black stone yoni — the sacred symbol of the goddess Uma — vanished from Wat Preah Thong, a temple just outside Angkor Thom. Who took it, and why? This episode traces the trail from the stone's disappearance to its reappearance in a Bangkok museum, and what the theft reveals about the unraveling of the Khmer Empire's religious order. Lucas and Luna explore the role of relic theft in the empire's decline, the clash between Hindu and Theravada Buddhist factions, and the shadowy figure of the 'stone hunter' known only as K. 214. Along the way, they touch on the Ming shi lu's cryptic mention of a 'black stone tribute' sent to China in 1329, the rise of Ayutthaya as a competing power, and the quiet exodus of priests and artisans that emptied Angkor's temples long before the final siege.