Haunted Urn Handed Over To Apsara Authority

Siem Reap: – Two residents of Tani village and Run Ta Ek Ek village in Banteay Srei district of Siem Reap province handed over two ancient pieces of pottery to the Apsara Authority on December 16, 2019.

The small piece around 9 cm x 13 cm is made from rough clay porcelain. Experts have yet to figure out they were for. The team will do more research later on.

It was discovered in 2018 by Mr. Om, a resident of Banteay Srey district while he was clearing his (land?) in the village. After finding him, he kept it in his house for worship because the vessel was beautiful and ancient. Knowing that the conservationists wanted to save such artifacts, it was also brought to the Apsara Authority, knowing their expertise could be put to better use than if kept at his home.

Interestingly, the larger vessel was in good condition, about 48 cm high with a diameter of 35 cm.  A kind of solid, light-brown pottery was provided by Ngo Chanthou, director of Run Ta Ek Eco Village. The vessel was discovered in 2011 when Plum’s uncle was behind the Banteay Srei temple. After it was found, he brought it home.

According Mr. Chanthou, he had asked for his uncle to keep it in 2012 and claimed that the ancient vessel seemed to have a spirit or power when he did not keep up to his promise. The vase was kept in a box under the bed, and something kept him awake for seven nights making noises, sometimes knocking on the bed, hitting the stairs and opening locked doors. His wife did not believe him, but, by the seventh night, she had a dream someone was knocking on the door.

His mother asked him to put it back in place, but he lit the incense around it in the village. When his friends saw the beautiful vessel, they wanted to buy it to decorate their houses. Two aunts dreamed of an old lady who cried for help.

Due to strange circumstances and disturbances, Chanthou also decided to give it to the Apsara Authority as a safe and secure place for this object. Chanthou said that when the vase/urn was seen, people also wanted to buy it, but after learning that the vessel may have contained the remains of an ancient civil servant buried in front of the temple, the buyers rejected it for fear of ghosts.

Apsara Conservation Expert expert of the Apsara Authority said it is similar to the pottery found in Svay Leu district, about 70 kilometers northeast of Siem Reap and is thought to have been made during the 11th-13th century.

The two residents who handed over the relics to the Apsara Authority also appealed to the brothers who found all kinds of relics, not to sell or keep them at home, as most were not good at life. Give it to a museum or the competent authority to preserve it for future generations to see and learn, as well as explore the history of the relics. SWIFT