The Badeum site is located along the bank of the Sesan River in Badeum village, Samkhoy commune, Sesan district, Steung Treng province, Cambodia. Steung Treng is considered to be an ancient center of the Chenla state during the 7th-8th century AD (Coedès 1964: 128), and is an important region leading up to the appearance of the Angkorian empire which ruled most of mainland Southeast Asia between the 9th-14th centuries AD. In addition to the Khmer, twelve ethnic groups reside in the province, including Lao, Cham, Sino-Khmer, Kring, Tum Pourn, Prao, Phnorng, Charay, Lon, Kavet, Kuy, and Vietnamese.

The Lao live mostly along Khmer-Lao border and along the banks of the Mekong, Sesan and Sre Pork rivers. Also by the Lao border, in Siem Pang District, are the Lon, Tum Pourn, Kavet, and Charay. The Kuy lives mainly west of the Mekong River in Thalaborivat District. The Prao, Kring, and Phnong live east of the Sesan River in Sesan District. Khmer, Sino-Khmer, Cham, and Vietnamese live along the Sekong and Mekong Rivers in Stung Treng, Thalaborivat, Siem Bok, and Sesan Districts.

Badeum site is, the area has been ignored, or only explored in minor ways. The district also contains numerous historical remains and natural resources, which now have largely been abandoned and ignored. Many of temple foundations were recorded previously, especially the architectural feature remains at Badeum site. Those artifacts were sketched as a professional method. Artifacts were recorded with descriptions of its style, source, date and its damage.

The site is in bad condition. The recent road renovation had destroyed the western foundation of the Central Group and partly cut the eastern foundation of the Central Group. The other two Groups are damaged by local villagers who build the house and farming. Looting in the area is not very dangerous.

The study of style of the artifacts from Badeum site is hardly conducted because the complete artifacts were disappeared. The newly found lintel from the Southern Group is a light for the comparative study with neighboring sites such as Thalabarivt. The lintel has all the same decoration with the ones from Thalabarivat.

The Badeum site was previously located about the 500m south further away from the Sesan River bank. The area of Badeum site had changed through time as the site now about 100m close to the river bank because of the eroding from the river bank. Present the site is located in the visinity of the Buddhist temple, called “Mahayaram Wat”.

As Badeum site is a very important source of data that can give more information about the ancient settlement around the area and trade exchanged through rivers for many period of times. Resulting from the site mapping and survey at Badeum, there remains numerous temple foundations at Badeum site. The temples were built in groups or clusters. We divided the temple foundation in Badeum into three groups: Southern Group, Northern Group, and Central Group. Those groups probably face to the east and are considered as a commercial administration spot.

Badeum site has relatively connection with Bachong site (the old port), located west of the Sekong River. Bachong is the conjugate of the main three rivers, the Mekong, Sekong and Sesan. The two sites should have played an important role as administrative center to get tax from traders crossing the areas from the Mekong River to Vat Phu, Thailand or China. Badeum site may have created to collect tax from traders from the Mekong River to Southern Vietnam.

Badeum was not only the administrative center the site also has been functioning as a ritual place through the history.

RECOMMENDATION

More research needs to be conducted in this area. Unfortunately, the grandeur of Angkor Wat has led to a focus on Siem Reap by past and present researchers. This focus is at the expense of understanding other important areas such as Badeum.

The transmission of this information to the peoples living within the immediate vicinity of the archaeological zone is a key component to prevent further looting or destruction of the site through development. The local people seem generally unaware of the site existence or its historic importance. Results of this research, including maps and photographs, seem to help villagers to better understand, appreciate and protect their cultural heritage. Minimally, the research will alert the authorities to pay closer attention to archaeological sites.

We strongly propose and provide better recommendations to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to ensure site preservation.

To understand the date and more historical events from Badeum site, deep research needs to be immediately conducted. Savage excavation must be included for the systematical study.