This weathered sandstone lion stands guard at Prasat Tao, the famed “Lion Temple” in the Sambor Prei Kuk complex of Kampong Thom, Cambodia. Carved in the pre‑Angkorian period, it is among the earliest known Khmer lion statues used as powerful temple guardians. Its stylized mane and poised stance symbolize royal protection for the central sanctuary and the sacred landscape around it.
