The Iron Masters of Angkor: Phnom Dek and the Khmer Military

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the crucial but often overlooked role of iron in the Khmer Empire's rise and fall. They journey to Phnom Dek, the 'Iron Mountain', where the Kuoy people practiced ancient bloomery smelting, producing the weapons that built Angkor's power. From the massive armies of Jayavarman VII to the erosion and deforestation that followed, they uncover how this vital resource shaped the empire's destiny—and its collapse. With insights from the Greater Angkor Project and comparisons to Roman metallurgy, they reveal the hidden infrastructure of a civilization that couldn't sustain its own strength. #KhmerEmpire #PhnomDek #IronAge #Kuoy #Bloomery #Angkor #JayavarmanVII #GreaterAngkorProject #SoutheastAsia #Metallurgy #MilitaryHistory #AncientCivilizations #Erosion #Deforestation #History #FexingoHistory #Archaeology #Cambodia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo