Preah Ko

Preah Ko (Khmer: ព្រះគោ, "Sacred Bull") is a small, but significant, temple located in the Roluos group of temples near Angkor, Cambodia. It is one of the earliest surviving temples built by the Khmer Empire, dating back to the late 9th century during the reign of King Indravarman I. The temple is dedicated to the king's parents and serves as a funerary temple, housing a series of brick towers that contain the ashes of the royal family. The central tower, the largest of the group, is particularly notable for its intricate carvings and sculptures, including a famous stele that provides valuable historical information about the temple and the Khmer Empire. Preah Ko is considered a precursor to the more elaborate temple designs that would follow in the Angkor region. The temple's name translates to "Sacred Bull" in English, referencing the bull statues that flank the entrance to the temple. In other languages, it is known as Preah Ko in Khmer, and there is no widely recognized direct translation in Hebrew or other languages.