The Silk Road That Never Was: Angkor's Overland Trade Routes

When we think of Angkor, we picture jungle temples and the Tonle Sap—but what about the roads? In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the Khmer Empire's forgotten overland trade routes that linked Angkor to the Tai kingdoms, the coast, and even China. They explore the network of rest houses built by Jayavarman VII, the dangers of the Dangrek escarpment, and the vital elephant trails through the Cardamom Mountains. The conversation also examines the role of the Phnom Rung sanctuary as a waypoint, the shift from overland to maritime trade under Ayutthaya, and how these land routes slowly atrophied after the 13th century, contributing to Angkor's isolation. Specific figures include the Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan, who recorded details of the roads, and the 15th-century king Ponhea Yat, whose flight to Phnom Penh signaled a final pivot away from the interior. The episode draws on inscriptions like K. 1050 and archaeological surveys by the Greater Angkor Project to reconstruct a world of oxcarts, tolls, and travelers moving through a landscape now reclaimed by forest. #Angkor #KhmerEmpire #OverlandTrade #JayavarmanVII #PhnomRung #Dangrek #CardamomMountains #ZhouDaguan #PonheaYat #Ayutthaya #TonleSap #K1050 #GreaterAngkorProject #SoutheastAsia #MedievalTrade #History #FexingoHistory #Cambodia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo