ABSTRACT
It is well to be forewarned about the kind of knowledge which may be expected from the Khmer inscriptions. Those written in Sanskrit are chiefly poetic praises of gods, kings and learned men. It is the inscriptions in Khmer which are useful to us as sources of information about everyday life. Facts have to be gleaned, nevertheless, from the nomenclature of places and persons as much as from direct references to plants, animals and commodities. The inscriptions record the good works of kings, nobles, Brahmins or lesser dignitaries, who founded new cults and gave gifts, consisting chiefly of land and kn~,2 to existing religious foundations. The lengthier inscriptions give details, such as names and duties of the kn~, lists of other gifts and the location or size of the ricefields. Sometimes warnings are given of punishment in hell for those who hinder the work of the foundation and hopes of heaven for those who further the work.
