|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Only
the people who live to tell it can report
the true story of a country's past. But with
the passage of time, oral histories fade into
legend, leaving behind more questions than
written accounts.
Cambodia's rich historical culture speaks
volumes. Khmer Script development is one among
the interesting stories that Leisure wants
to tell readers how its character and features
is changed from one period to another.
Our Khmer forebears recorded information for
future generations on animal skins using fried
chalk. These documents could not withstand
the hunger of starving insects like termites,
however, so historians had to seek new methods
to record their findings. Rock and stone proved
to be an effective replacement for the chalk,
and the results have been everlasting.
According to documents recorded in rock, it
can be surmised that Khmer script has evolved
ten times and is characterized by the following
features, names and years: |
|
|
|
|
Type
1:
Han Chey writing rock script, approximately
6th century BC
Type 2: Veal
Kan Teng writing rock script, end of the 6th
or early 7th century BC
Type 3: Ang Chomney
Kor writing rock script, 667 BC
Type 4: Inn Kor
Sey writing rock script, 970 BC
Type 5: Preash
Keo writing rock script, 1002 BC
Type 6: Nor Korr
writing rock script, 1066 BC
Type 7: Banteay Chmar writing rock
script, early 12th or 13th century BC
Type 8: Angkor Watt writing rock script,
13th century BC.
Type 9:
Angkor script, 1702 BC
Type 10: the present script style |
|
|
While
rocks may appear to be primitive, outdated
tools, it is these blunt objects that have
shed the most light on Cambodia's past. These
writing tools provided past generations with
immediate instructions on how to survive and
will offer future generations a perspective
on what and who made their country what it
is today. Without the rock script, Cambodia's
culture, traditions and literature could easily
have morphed into myth. Now, the writing of
history depends on commitment of future generations
to report the truth. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com
|
|
|