Household shrines

Religions in general and Buddhism in Cambodia in particular tend to be syncretic. In other words, they absorb influences from other cultures and tradition.

In Cambodia people erect gold-colored spirit houses for holding the spirits that have been displaced through the construction of the buildings. Small houses have small spirit houses, and large buildings have huge spirit houses.

Frequent offerings are made at these personal shrines. A historian that I spoke with suggested that this practice has its origins in the spiritualism that predates Buddhism in the region.

This spirit house was in front of the university where we held our symposium.