The Early History of Cambodia
Archaeological discoveries show that a Neolithic culture which may have migrated from southern eastern China to the Indochina peninsular inhabited the parts of the region now called Cambodia during the first and second millennia BC.
By the first century CE, the inhabitants had evolved stable societies. The most advanced among them lived along the coast and in the lower Mekong river valley and delta regions.
“arrived before their neighbours”
They grew rice and reared animals. It is guessed that these people arrived before their present Vietnamese, Thai and Lao neighbours.
The Funan
The Indian civilization had a great impact on the people of mainland and limited Southeast Asia. It must be noted that the process of Indianisation was slow because of the absence of Indian rule and largely the land and sea barriers between this region and India subcontinent.
The region adopted the Vedic and Hindu religion as well as other aspects of Indian cultures. However, the India caste system was not adopted.
Indianisation brought about the formation and consolidation of strong centralized states. Cambodians regard Funan as the first Khmer Kingdom in Southeast Asia. It is the earliest Indianised state established in the first century CE.
Funan kingdom was located on the lower reaches of the River Mekong. Its capital city Vyadhapura was probably located near the present day town of Phumi Banam in Prey Veng province.
The name ’Funan’ is the Chinese bastardisation of the Khmer word ’bnam’ meaning mountain. According to the early Funan history, its inhabitants were mainly concentrated in riverine areas. Transportation and communication were waterborne and the economy was driven by fishing and wet rice cultivation.
“ancient realms of Persia and Rome”
Oc Eo (now part of Vietnam) was the kingdom’s main port and now contains foreign artefacts from as far away as the ancient realms of Persia and Rome.
Early in the sixth centrury, internal wranglings and civil wars led to the destabilisation of Funan kingdom. In the seventh century it was invaded and captured by the neighbouring kingdom of Chenla.Chenla
The origin of Chenla is also Khmer. It was an aggressive kingdom which captured and ruled over many parts of east asia such as western Cambodia. The royal family maintained good rapport with their Funan counter parts. Internal rivalry led to the balkanisation of the Chenla kingdom into land Chenla and Water Chenla in 8 th century.
The water Chenla was attacked and conquered by the dynasty Sailendra of Jaya at the beginning of the 9th century. The beneficiary was the king of a little Khmer state north of the Mekong Delta. He became the Jaya Varman II which signified the liberation of Khmer people from Javanese slavery and establishment of a unified Khmer nation.
“Kampuchea was given its name”
Angkor
The Angkorian dispensation was the golden age of Khmer culture between 9th and 15th century. Jayararman II and his success laid very solid foundation for the Khmer Empire. During this period the modern - day Cambodia or Kampuchea was given its name.
The Khmer Empire was ruled by strong rulers who made remarkable achievements during their reign. Jayararman II established the capital city called Hariharalaya. Indravarman I who ruled between 877 and 889, extended the empire and constructed irrigation systems for rice farming.
His son Yaso Varman I built the reservoir and canals. Moreover, Suryavarman II (1113—1150) built and designed the Temple city complex of Angkor, the biggest religious monument in the world.
“a patron of Mahayana Buddhism”
Between 1181 and 1218, Jayavarman VII deviated from the way of his predecessors, renouncing the cult of the Hindu god—king and becoming a patron of Mahayana Buddhism.
Two important factors accounted for the fall of Khmer Empire, namely the spread of Theravada Buddhism and attacks by foreign enemies.