Stegosaurus Dinosaur Carved in Ancient Temple, Cambodia: Fact Check

Story:

Stegosaurus Dinosaur Carved on Ancient Hindu Temple in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Other Versions

1. Stegosaur Carving on a Cambodian Temple.

2. Dinosaurs in ancient Cambodian temple.

3. Stegosaurus carving at 800 year old Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia.

4. Evidence of Dinosaurs at Ta Prohm Hindu Temple in Angkor Wat.

Fact Check:

Various messages shared heavily online, on social media as well as news websites, claim that a Stegosaurus (a type of Dinosaur) Carving has been found inside 800 year old ancient Hindu Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor Wat, Cambodia. It is suggested as an evidence to say Hindus in the era already knew about the existence of Dinosaurs, long before westerners discovered them. So let us analyze in detail whether the carving in ancient Cambodian temple could be Stegosaurus or not.

About the Hindu Temple and Carving

Ta Prohm, originally called Rajavihara, is a historical temple built in the late 1100s (during the early years of the Khmer rule) in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. It houses some huge trees that gnarl around the temple, and away from them, at one corner of the temple, there’s a vertical series of wall carvings of small animals like monkeys and birds. But what caught the attention of many people is a small and unique carving of what is said to be a Stegosaurus. Shown in the video is a glimpse of the temple along with the Dinosaur (Stegosaurus) carving in question.

Various Theories about the Carving

According to one popular theory, mostly coming from westerners, the carving on the wall of Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia is not a Dinosaur at all, but some kind of known animal with funky decorative touches. Another theory suggests the fin-like blades running down the back of ‘Stegosaurus’ are actually palm leaves and that the carving shows a Cow or Rhino with a palm tree in the background. There is also the version saying the Stegosaurus story is a recently-carved hoax claiming it as fabrication. However, there are plausible reasons to say the carving was not fabricated.