Kbal Spean

'Bridge Head') is an Angkorian-era archaeological site on the southwest slopes of the Kulen Hills to the northeast of Angkor in Banteay Srei District, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

It is situated along a 150m stretch of the Stung Kbal Spean River, 25 kilometres (16 mi) from the main Angkor group of monuments, which lie downstream.

The motifs for stone carvings are mainly myriads of lingams (phallic symbol of Hindu god Shiva), depicted as neatly arranged bumps that cover the surface of a sandstone bed rock, and lingam-yoni designs.

There are also various Hindu mythological motifs, including depictions of the gods Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Rama, and Hanuman, as well as animals (cows and frogs).

The archaeological site occurs in a stretch of the river starting from 150 metres (490 ft) upstream north of the bridge head to the falls downstream.

Thereafter, it is a 40-minute walk through the forest for about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) uphill along a path before reaching the first site, a water fall, where the carved sculptures start appearing in the river bed.

[7] The archaeological site was discovered in 1969 by Jean Boulbet, an ethnologist, but further exploration was cut off due to the Cambodian Civil War.

Sequentially, while walking along a path which skirts the eroded channel of the river-formed natural stone bridge, one can see a pair of Vishnu sculptures with Lakshmi seated at his feet in a reclining pose.

[1][7] Under the supervision of archaeologists, the graduates of Artisans d'Angkor have been able to reproduce some portions of Kbal Spean's missing bas-relief carvings.

[8] Also situated within the Phnom Kulen National Park,[9] and close to the river outfall, is the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity where "trafficked animals are nursed back to health".

Lord Vishnu in a reclining repose lying on the serpent god Ananta , with Goddess Lakshmi at his feet and Lord Brahma on a lotus petal, in Kbal Spean River bank