The prehistoric period of Cambodia has produced evidence of settlements in Cambodia dating back to 6000 years. They were essentially cave dwellers, who, over a period of time, learned cultivation of paddy, domestication of animals etc. Little is known about these people except fragmented information through excavation. For the sake of convenience, the protohistoric period of Cambodia can be divided into three different stages. From 100 CE to 800 CE is generally known as an era of Indianisation. This period is known as the pre-Angkorian era. Both India and China, at that time, started exploring alternate trade routes to the overland ones in Central Asia. The merchants sailed from India to Malay peninsula, then through Cambodia etc. to trade with China. Gradually, the language, customs, art, architecture and religion of India began to take root in Southeast Asia. This marked the era of Brahminical influence which established Hinduism as the main religion and Sanskrit as the main language in Cambodia. The period of 802-1431, known as the Angkorian era, spanned the most glorious period of Cambodian history, which made the country the most powerful one in Southeast Asia. This era is represented by assimilation and adaptation of the Indianisation into the art of governance, the concept of royalty, the Indian idea of 'deva-raja' which made the king a representative of Gods. Just as God preserved cosmic order, so does the king look after the welfare and order of his kingdom. Starting with Jayavarman II, who was anointed king in Kulen to the north of Angkor, to Dharmasoka in 1431, a span of 600 years and 35 kings, Cambodia saw its golden period of rise and decline. The post-Angkor period saw the abandoning of Angkor as the capital and decline of the kingdom.

Chris, vanessa & Molly Par staying at Hotel de la Paix, visit Koh Ker National school and make a donation on behalf of themselves, Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours and Hotel de la Paix, Siem Reap