This is a lintel made of sandstone. It was brought from the Ob Preah Ong monument on Kulen Mountain, Siem Reap Province, to add to the collection of the National Museum of Cambodia. Based on the study of its sculpture patterns and decorative elements, this lintel was created in the Kulen style of the early 9th century. It is adorned with braided flowers in the crossbow shape. At the midsection of the bow is a deity that is sculpted within a niche. He is sitting cross-legged on a column capital, with both hands on his style. The heads of Kala or Rahu, with their mouths and eyes wide open, aligned beneath the capital. The posture of their hands seems to suggest they are pulling the braided flowers to put into their mouths. On the left and right of the deity, there are two human figures worshipping or saluting the deity. Each of the end the bow form has a principal motif which carved in a circular shape, with a human figure in the center. Additionally, the crossbow element on this lintel is embroidered with floral decoration in vividly naturalistic forms.
Leaves and five flowers’ clusters are aligned in the upper part of the bow. Dangling beneath are pendants of leaves, three on each side. The far end of the bows are adorned and overlapping intertwined elements. In expert Khmer art architecture, lintels are almost always made of sandstone.
They are usually sculpted in rectangular shapes to decorate gateways, doors, or false doors of a temple. Besides being a decorative element, they also serve a very important function to help support the weight of the monument.