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Introduction This book is the 2nd of three about Ancient Khmer sites outside the present day Cambodia and the first comprehensive inventory of ancient Khmer sites in eastern Thailand since the now more than one century-old works of Étienne Aymonier, Étienne Lunet de Lajonquière, and Major Erik Seidenfaden, describing some 170 Khmer sites in the provinces of Khorat and Buriram in the first two parts of the book. Part 3 presents the ancient overland route from Angkor to Phimai marked by seventeen <i>fire-shelters</i> (dharmasala), mentioned in a 12th century inscription. Also fire-shrines and fire-offerings are described. Location (coordinates), era and orientation are presented together with a short description about the site, related inscriptions, associated water structures such as moats, small ponds (<i>sra</i>), larger basins (<i>baray</i>), nearby rivers, and geographical context. Museums and modern Buddhist temples in the area exhibiting Khmer artifacts are mapped together with quarries, kilns, ancient moated sites and some other ancient trade routes. The book can be read on several levels: (1) as an ordinary book, (2) together with a computer or other digital device capable of showing graphics, (3) with an Internet connection providing satellite access, and ultimately (4) with a GPS device for visiting the sites conveniently. The appendices describe other nearby ancient routes, consecration deposits, an astronomical event at Banteay Srei (a planetary alignment, when the shrine was consecrated), and ratio / solstitial alignments (as an eventual embedded feature) in some Khmer sanctuaries. The first book, Ancient Khmer Sites in Eastern Thailand, covering 114 ancient Khmer locations in Eastern Thailand was published in 2012. A third book will describe Khmer sites further down the Mun River and the Mekong down to the Khone rapids in southern Laos. Also the sites in the Songkram river of Sakon Nakhon will be included together with a mapping of the Mon settlements in the Chi River water catchments. The attached CD contains some 7000 photos in 600 x 800 pix format - not to be distributed commercially or for educational purposes without permission from the author
from whom original formats can be acquired. The book can be read in several ways: 1) as an ordinary paperback book, 2) together with a computer, tablet, or other smart devices, thus supplementing the reading with photos and maps from the CD, 3) adding the Google Earth option the reader has the opportunity of studying the sites from above or as street-view and eventually plan field visits, and 4) the more adventurous reader can with a GPS device easily find the sites described - and read the book on site.
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