b.

Walls
The stone carving skill of the ancient Khmer was basically inherited from the Indian civilization, however, it was later
evolved into its own unique Khmer style. The Khmer sculptures were carved from stone with great craftsmanship and
many of them represent the Hindu deities such as Shiva, Vishnu, Brahmans, the elephant god Ganesha and many other
gods and goddesses, as well as Hindu mythical monsters such as the serpent naga, the demon kala, the giant makara,
and the mythical lions. Some large sculptures even portray the epics of the Hindu myths such as Mahabharata and
Ramayana.
In later centuries, the Buddha statues appeared and enshrined in many temples. The most astounding Buddha statues
are found in Angkor Thom (Bayon) where the magnificent statues of four-faced Bodhisattava Avalokiteshvara, the lord
Buddha, were sculptured on fifty towers. Although each sculpture bears the common characteristics of the supernatural
being it represents as described in the epics or myths, its details reveal the personal imagination of its sculptor. In
addition, some sculptures depict the important events such as the war against its foreign invaders while some reveal the
everyday life of the Khmer people such as the relief carvings of Angkor Thom.
The house of the local people in ancient Khmer was more or
less similar to those found today in villages of modern
Cambodia. It was elevated about two and a half meters above
the ground with the wooden ladder and was built by wooden
piles which supported the floor, the walls and the roof. The wall
was made up of either the straws or the bamboo with the roof
covered with the thatched leaves of dry coconut palms.
The architecture of the dignitaries' houses and the palaces was
somewhat different from those of the laymen, and differed in
sizes, layouts and dimensions. The materials used to built the
house consisted of stronger wooden planks, generally made up
of teakwood, and the roof was covered with tiles for the inner

rooms and with thatched leaves for the outer corners. These differences clearly identified the classes of the people by
which the laymen were not even dare to put up a single tile on their roof.
According to Hinduism, the gods reside in the five sacred mountains with central Mount Meru and these mountains are
surrounded by the cosmic ocean. The structure of the Khmer temples mostly symbolizes the heavenly residence of the
gods with five towers, called Prasats. The central dominant tower or Prasat represents the Mount Meru with four smaller
ones, each at its corners, to represent the other four sacred mountains of the heaven. In some temples, there are galleries
connecting the towers. The moat surrounding the temple symbolizes the
cosmic ocean.
Between the 9th and 15th centuries, a prosperous and powerful empire
flourished in northwestern Cambodia. The Khmer kingdom of Angkor, named
for its capital city, dominated much of what is now Laos, Vietnam, and
Thailand. The kingdom drew its religious and political inspiration from India.
The literary language of the court was Sanskrit; the spoken language was
Khmer. Massive temples from this period, including Angkor Wat and the Bayon
at Angkor Thum, testify to the power of Angkor and the grandeur of its
architecture and decorative art. The unparalleled achievements in art,
architecture, music, and dance during this period served as models for later
cultural development in Cambodia.
Angkor faded into obscurity after the capital moved south to Phnom Penh in
the 15th century, probably due in part to frequent invasions by the neighboring
Thais. The jungle rapidly grew over the monuments. In the centuries that
followed, frequent wars reduced the territory, wealth, and power of Cambodian
monarchs. However, an independent state with its capital near Phnom Penh
survived until the 19th century. The most important work of Cambodian literature, the Reamker (a Khmer-language
version of the Indian myth of the Ramayana), was composed during this time.

C. Openings (doors and windows)

Endless doorways by Kalabird The unique colors and architecture of the Banteay Srei Temple in
Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Most of the Cambodia A APSARAS AND Architecture were fitted M DEVATAS have always with
blind doors and B been an important windows which helped O element as far in maintaining D
Architecture in Cambodia evenness in the I is concerned. entrance way.Several celestial dancing
The central sanctuary A apsaras, heavenly is the place where the N nymphs and female primary
deity mainly deities adorn the walls of resides. S the ancient temples which
Angkorean shrines frequently opened in only one direction, typically to the East. The other three
sides featured fake or blind doors to maintain symmetry. Blind windows were often used along
otherwise blank walls.

D. Roofs
Elements of vernacular tradition can be seen in the adaptations to the local
tropical climate. Traditional Cambodian houses are usually raised on columns.
This makes for an open, shaded space for social activities, creates a natural
cooling effect, and the height of the building offers protection in times of floods.
New Khmer Architecture often uses this approach. Other adaptations to the
climate are the use of wall panels, double walls and roofs (especially the typical
VVV- shaped roofs that can be found many of the buildings in the style) to
prevent direct sunlight. Loggias (covered balconies and walkways) and claustras
(decorative openwork) offer shade. Particular attention was often paid to the
creation of natural ventilation to cool the building. Traditional houses also have an open floor plan, another theme that can
be found in many New Khmer Architecture buildings. Many of them are light, white (another adaptation to climate) and
open. And just like in traditional houses the building's structure is clear, in New Khmer Architecture buildings the structure
is not hidden. On the contrary, it's often used as an integral part of the look of a building and forms a decorative element.
Many buildings are infused with Cambodian culture and everyday life. Sometimes elements of traditional temples are
used, like multi-tiered tiled roofs, golden spires, tympani (gables) and roof ornaments. Sometimes a traditional object
formed an inspiration for a design. Vann Molyvann's library at the Teacher Training College looks like a traditional straw
hat. The Chaktomuk Conference Hall, also by Vann Molyvann, offers another example of the use of traditional objects as
inspiration, with its fan shaped roof and golden spire.

E.Columns/Colonette
Colonettes were narrow decorative columns that served as supports for the beams and lintels above doorways or
windows. Depending on the period, they were round, rectangular, or octagonal in shape. Colonettes were often circled
with molded rings and decorated with carved leaves.
F.Corbelling
Corbelled arch at the south gate of Angkor Thom.

Corbelled hallway at Ta Prohm.

Angkorian engineers tended to use the corbel arch in order to
construct rooms, passageways and openings in buildings. A
corbel arch is constructed by adding layers of stones to the walls
on either side of an opening, with each successive layer
projecting further towards the centre than the one supporting it
from below, until the two sides meet in the middle. The corbel arch
is structurally weaker than the true arch. The use of corbelling prevented the Angkorian engineers from constructing large
openings or spaces in buildings roofed with stone, and made such buildings particularly prone to collapse once they were
no longer maintained. These difficulties did not, of course, exist for buildings constructed with stone walls surmounted by a
light wooden roof. The problem of preventing the collapse of corbelled structures at Angkor remains a serious one for
modern conservation.

G.Lintel, pediment, and tympanum

A lintel is a horizontal beam connecting two vertical columns between which runs a
door or passageway. Because the Angkorean Khmer lacked the ability to construct a
true arch, they constructed their passageways using lintels orcorbelling. A pediment is
a roughly triangular structure above a lintel. A tympanum is the decorated surface of a
pediment.
Lintel and pediment at Banteay Srei; the motif on the pediment is ShivaNataraja.
The styles employed by Angkorean artists in the decoration of lintels evolved over time, as a result, the study of lintels has
proven a useful guide to the dating of temples. Some scholars have endeavored to develop a periodization of lintel
styles.] The most beautiful Angkorean lintels are thought to be those of the Preah Ko style from the late 9th century.
Common motifs in the decoration of lintels include the kala, the nga and the makara, as well as various forms of
vegetation.[24] Also frequently depicted are the Hindu gods associated with the four cardinal directions, with the identity of
the god depicted on a given lintel or pediment depending on the direction faced by that element. Indra, the god of the sky,
is associated with East; Yama, the god of judgment and Hell, with South; Varuna, the god of the ocean, with West;
and Kubera, god of wealth, with North.
Stairs[edit]
The stairs leading to the inner enclosure at Ankor Wat are daunting.
Angkorean stairs are notoriously steep. Frequently, the length of the riser exceeds that
of the tread, producing an angle of ascent somewhere between 45 and 70 degrees.
The reasons for this peculiarity appear to be both religious and monumental. From the
religious perspective, a steep stairway can be interpreted as a "stairway to heaven,"

G. MOTIFS
Apsara and devata

Apsaras (left) and a devata (right) grace the walls at Banteay Kdei.

Two apsaras appear on this pillar at the 12th-century Buddhist temple theBayon.
Apsaras, divine nymphs or celestial dancing girls, are characters from Indian mythology. Their origin is explained in the
story of the churning of the Ocean of Milk, or samudra manthan, found in the Vishnu Purana. Other stories in the
Mahabharata detail the exploits of individual apsaras, who were often used by the gods as agents to persuade or seduce
mythological demons, heroes and ascetics. The widespread use of apsaras as a motif for decorating the walls and pillars
of temples and other religious buildings, however, was a Khmer innovation. In modern descriptions of Angkorian temples,
the term "apsara" is sometimes used to refer not only to dancers but also to other minor female deities, though minor
female deities who are depicted standing about rather than dancing are more commonly called "devatas".
Apsaras and devatas are ubiquitous at Angkor, but are most common in the foundations of the 12th century. Depictions of
true (dancing) apsaras are found, for example, in the Hall of Dancers atPreah Khan, in the pillars that line the
passageways through the outer gallery of the Bayon, and in the famous bas-relief of Angkor Wat depicting the churning of

the Ocean of Milk. The largest population of devatas (around 2,000) is at Angkor Wat, where they appear individually and
in groups.
Dvarapala

This dvarapala stands guard atBanteay Kdei.

Dvarapalas are human or demonic temple guardians, generally armed with lances and clubs. They are presented either
as a stone statues or as relief carvings in the walls of temples and other buildings, generally close to entrances or

passageways. Their function is to protect the temples. Dvarapalas may be seen, for example, at Preah Ko, Lolei, Banteay
Srei, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei.[28]
Gajasimha and Reachisey[edit]
The gajasimha is a mythical animal with the body of a lion and the head of an elephant. At Angkor, it is portrayed as a
guardian of temples and as a mount for some warriors. The gajasimha may be found at Banteay Srei and at the temples
belonging to the Roluos group.
The reachisey is another mythical animal, similar to the gajasimha, with the head of a lion, a short elephantine trunk, and
the scaly body of a dragon. It occurs at Angkor Wat in the epic bas reliefs of the outer gallery.[29]
Garuda

In this 9th century lintel now on display at the Muse Guimet, Garudabears Vishnu on his shoulders.
Garuda is a divine being that is part man and part bird. He is the lord of birds, the mythologial enemy of ngas, and the
battle steed of Vishnu. Depictions of Garuda at Angkor number in the thousands, and though Indian in inspiration exhibit a
style that is uniquely Khmer.[30] They may be classified as follows:

As part of a narrative bas relief, Garuda is shown as the battle steed of Vishnu or Krishna, bearing the god on his
shoulders, and simultaneously fighting against the god's enemies. Numerous such images of Garuda may be
observed in the outer gallery of Angkor Wat.

Garuda serves as an atlas supporting a superstructure, as in the bas relief at Angkor Wat that depicts heaven and
hell. Garudas and stylized mythological lions are the most common atlas figures at Angkor.

Garuda is depicted in the pose of a victor, often dominating a nga, as in the gigantic relief sculptures on the outer
wall of Preah Khan. In this context, Garuda symbolizes the military power of the Khmer kings and their victories over
their enemies. Not coincidentally, the city of Preah Khan was built on the site of King Jayavarman VII's victory over
invaders from Champa.

In free-standing nga sculptures, such as in nga bridges and balustrades, Garuda is often depicted in relief
against the fan of nga heads. The relationship between Garuda and the nga heads is ambiguous in these
sculptures: it may be one of cooperation, or it may again be one of domination of the nga by Garuda.

Indra
In the ancient religion of the Vedas, Indra the sky-god reigned supreme. In the medieval Hinduism of Angkor, however, he
had no religious status, and served only as a decorative motif in architecture. Indra is associated with the East; since
Angkorian temples typically open to the East, his image is sometimes encountered on lintels and pediments facing that
direction. Typically, he is mounted on the three-headed elephant Airavata and holds his trusty weapon, the thunderbolt
or vajra. The numerous adventures of Indra documented in Hindu epic Mahabharata are not depicted at Angkor.
Kala

A kala serves as the base for a deity at the 10th-century Hindu templeBanteay Srei.
The kala is a ferocious monster symbolic of time in its all-devouring aspect and associated with the destructive side of the
god Siva. In Khmer temple architecture, the kala serves as a common decorative element on lintels, tympana and walls,
where it is depicted as a monstrous head with a large upper jaw lined by large carnivorous teeth, but with no lower jaw.
Some kalas are shown disgorging vine-like plants, and some serve as the base for other figures.
Scholars have speculated that the origin of the kala as a decorative element in Khmer temple architecture may be found
in an earlier period when the skulls of human victims were incorporated into buildings as a kind of protective magic
or apotropaism. Such skulls tended to lose their lower jaws when the ligaments holding them together dried out. Thus, the
kalas of Angkor may represent the Khmer civilization's adoption into its decorative iconography of elements derived from
long forgotten primitive antecedents.

Krishna
Scenes from the life of Krishna, a hero and Avatar of the god Vishnu, are common in the relief carvings decorating
Angkorian temples, and unknown in Angkorian sculpture in the round. The literary sources for these scenes are
the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa, and theBhagavata Purana. The following are some of the most important Angkorian
depictions of the life of Krishna:

A series of bas reliefs at the 11th-century temple pyramid called Baphuon depicts scenes of the birth and childhood
of Krishna.

Numerous bas reliefs in various temples show Krishna subduing the nga Kaliya. In Angkorian depictions, Krishna
is shown effortlessly stepping on and pushing down his opponent's multiple heads.

Also common is the depiction of Krishna as he lifts Mount Govardhana with one hand in order to provide the
cowherds with shelter from the deluge caused by Indra.

Krishna is frequently depicted killing or subduing various demons, including his evil uncle Kamsa. An extensive bas
relief in the outer gallery of Angkor Wat depicts Krishna's battle with the asura Bana. In battle, Krishna is shown riding
on the shoulders of Garuda, the traditional mount of Vishnu.

In some scenes, Krishna is depicted in his role as charioteer, advisor and protector of Arjuna, the hero of
the Mahabharata. A well-known bas relief from the 10th-century temple of Banteay Srei depicts the Krishna and Arjuna
helping Agni to burn down Khandava forest.

Linga

This segmented linga from 10th century Angkor has a square base, an octagonal middle, and a round tip.
The linga is a phallic post or cylinder symbolic of the god Shiva and of creative power. As a religious symbol, the function
of the linga is primarily that of worship and ritual, and only secondarily that of decoration. In the Khmer empire, certain
lingas were erected as symbols of the king himself, and were housed in royal temples in order to express the king's
consubstantiality with Siva.[39] The lingas that survive from the Angkorean period are generally made of polished stone.

The lingas of the Angkorian period are of several different types.

Some lingas are implanted in a flat square base called a yoni, symbolic of the womb.

On the surface of some lingas is engraved the face of Siva. Such lingas are called mukhalingas.

Some lingas are segmented into three parts: a square base symbolic of Brahma, an octagonal middle section
symbolic of Vishnu, and a round tip symbolic of Shiva.

Makara

The corner of a lintel on one of the brick towers at Bakong shows a man riding on the back of a makara that in turn
disgorges another monster.
A makara is a mythical sea monster with the body of a serpent, the trunk of an elephant, and a head that can have
features reminiscent of a lion, a crocodile, or a dragon. In Khmer temple architecture, the motif of the makara is generally
part of a decorative carving on a lintel, tympanum, or wall. Often the makara is depicted with some other creature, such as
a lion or serpent, emerging from its gaping maw. The makara is a central motif in the design of the famously beautiful
lintels of the Roluos group of temples: Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei. At Banteay Srei, carvings of makaras disgorging
other monsters may be observed on many of the corners of the buildings.

Nga

Mucalinda, the nga king who shielded Buddha as he sat in meditation, was a favorite motif for Cambodian Buddhist
sculptors from the 11th century. This statue is dated between 1150 and 1175 A.D.
Mythical serpents, or ngas, represent an important motif in Khmer architecture as well as in free-standing sculpture.
They are frequently depicted as having multiple heads, always uneven in number, arranged in a fan. Each head has a
flared hood, in the manner of a cobra.

This multi-headed nga is part of a decorative lintel from the end of the 9th century.
Ngas are frequently depicted in Angkorian lintels. The composition of such lintels characteristically consists in a
dominant image at the center of a rectangle, from which issue swirling elements that reach to the far ends of the
rectangle. These swirling elements may take shape as either vinelike vegetation or as the bodies of ngas. Some such
ngas are depicted wearing crowns, and others are depicted serving as mounts for human riders.
To the Angkorian Khmer, ngas were symbols of water and figured in the myths of origin for the Khmer people, who were
said to be descended from the union of an Indian Brahman and a serpent princess from Cambodia.[40] Ngas were also
characters in other well-known legends and stories depicted in Khmer art, such as the churning of the Ocean of Milk, the
legend of the Leper King as depicted in the bas-reliefs of the Bayon, and the story of Mucalinda, the serpent king who
protected the Buddha from the elements.[41]
Nga Bridge

Stone Asuras hold the nga Vasukion a bridge leading into the 12th century city of Angkor Thom.
Nga bridges are causeways or true bridges lined by stone balustrades shaped as ngas.
In some Angkorian nga-bridges, as for example those located at the entrances to 12th century city of Angkor Thom, the
nga-shaped balustrades are supported not by simple posts but by stone statues of gigantic warriors. These giants are
the devas and asuras who used the nga king Vasukiin order to the churn the Ocean of Milk in quest of the amrita or elixir
of immortality. The story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk or samudra manthan has its source in Indian mythology.
Quincunx

A linga in the form of a quincunx, set inside a yoni, is carved into the riverbed at Kbal Spean.
A quincunx is a spatial arrangement of five elements, with four elements placed as the corners of a square and the fifth
placed in the center. The five peaks of Mount Meru were taken to exhibit this arrangement, and Khmer temples was
arranged accordingly in order to convey a symbolic identification with the sacred mountain. The five brick towers of the
10th-century temple known asEast Mebon, for example, are arranged in the shape of a quincunx. The quincunx also
appears elsewhere in designs of the Angkorian period, as in the riverbed carvings of Kbal Spean.
Shiva
Most temples at Angkor are dedicated to Shiva. In general, the Angkorian Khmer represented and worshipped Shiva in
the form of a lingam, though they also fashioned anthropomorphic statues of the god. Anthropomorphic representations
are also found in Angkorian bas reliefs. A famous tympanum from Banteay Srei depicts Shiva sitting on Mount Kailasa
with his consort, while the demon king Ravana shakes the mountain from below. At Angkor Wat and Bayon, Shiva is
depicted as a bearded ascetic. His attributes include the mystical eye in the middle of his forehead, the trident, and the
rosary. His vahana or mount is the bullNandi.
Vishnu
Angkorian representations of Vishnu include anthropomorphic representations of the god himself, as well as
representations of his incarnations or Avatars, especially Krishna andRama. Depictions of Vishnu are prominent at Angkor
Wat, the 12th-century temple that was originally dedicated to Vishnu. Bas reliefs depict Vishna battling with

against asuraopponents, or riding on the shoulders of his vahana or mount, the gigantic bird-man Garuda. Vishnu's
attributes include the discus, the conch shell, the baton, and the orb.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
BAS-RELIEFS: If the Khmer artist managed occasionally to free himself from the constraints that controlled him to give
expression to his personality, then it would evidently be in the narrative form of the bas-reliefs.
DEVATAS, APSARAS, DVARAPALAS: These are the low reliefs of isolated figures or groups, sculpted sometimes on a
plain wall or on a background of decoration, but usually sheltered within niches.
NAGA: Benevolent mythical water serpent; the naga - a stylised cobra endowed with multiple heads, always uneven in
number from three to nine, arranged in a fan.
APSARA: heavenly female figure
GOPURA: crowned or covered gate entrance to a religious area
LINGA: symbol and one of the forms of Shiva. Embedded in a pedestal shaped to allow drainage of lustral water poured
over it
LINTEL: a load bearing stone spanning a doorway often heavily carved.
MERU: sacred or cosmic mountain at the centre of the world in Hindu Buddhist cosmology home of the God
BRAHMA: The Creator, one of the Gods of Hindu trinity usually represented with four faces
VISHNU: The Protector, one of the gods of the Hindu trinity, generally with four arms holding a disc, ball or a club
SHIVA: the Destroyer of evil, symbolized by linga

Siem Reap
Temples of Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat

The temples of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat are a vast temple complex near Siem Reap, Cambodia, about 200 miles from the
capital of Phnom Penh. Angkor Wat (which means Holy Temple), was built by King Suryavarman II (1113 A.D. to 1145) as a

vast funerary temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. Suryavarman united the kingdom, following a period of conflict, and
conquered many of the surrounding kingdoms, which included the present day Thailand and an area stretching to Burma, the
Malay Peninsula and Laos. It is believed that he died during a military expedition against the Vietnamese Kingdom of Champa,
and in 1177 the Champa were responsible for sacking Angkor.

The Royal Palace (Khmer:

, Preah Barum Reachea Veang Nei Preah Reacheanachak

Kampuchea), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is a complex of buildings
which serves as the royal residence of the king of Cambodia. Its full
name in the Khmer language is Preah Barum Reachea Veang
Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol (Khmer: ).

The Kings of Cambodia have occupied it since it was built in 1860s, with
a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after
the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
The palace was constructed after King Norodom relocated the royal
capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh in the mid-19th century. It was built atop an old citadel called Banteay Kev. It faces towards the East
and is situated at the Western bank of the cross division of the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River called Chaktomuk (an allusion
to Brahma).