New LiDAR data over the northern Cambodian jungle has identified a previously unknown 10th-century Khmer temple dedicated to the deities of metallurgy. Dubbed the 'Temple of the Iron-Masters,' the site is unique because its primary foundations are reinforced with a mix of volcanic stone and iron slag, reflecting the industrial importance of the surrounding region during the reign of Jayavarman IV.
Excavations at the periphery of the temple have revealed several ritual furnace sites used for smelting high-purity iron specifically for temple construction tools and weaponry. The discovery underscores the symbiotic relationship between sacred architecture and advanced industrial guilds in the medieval Khmer Empire, a connection previously under-documented by historians.