In which we look at rocks

Cambodia has a rich and complex history. During the middle ages the Khmer Empire spanned from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Tonkin, including most of present-day Thailand and Vietnam. The empire collapsed in the 15th century after 700 years of rule, but during its peak in the 11th to 13th centuries the capital of Angkor was the largest pre-industrial urban centre in the world. The region was heavily influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism, and while they would trade places as the dominant religion over the centuries both would inform the construction of and carvings in the magnificent temples built by the great kings of the empire.

In 802 A.D. Jayavarman II performed a ceremony on the sacred mountain Phnom Kulen. Here he proclaimed himself a God King and declared his kingdom's independence from Javanese rule. This event marked the beginning of the Khmer empire. Their territory expanded over the next few centuries relatively peacefully, and they established a strong agricultural and trade economy. Their prosperity enabled the building of many shrines and temples, and a few of these oldest constructions survive to this day.

 Pre Rup was completed in 961 A.D. and is believed to be a funeral site. The name means "turn the body" and refers to the rotation of ashes during funerary rituals. Several large kiln spires are found in the courtyard, constructed from brick and blackened inside with soot. At the top a Buddha is enshrined in the central "mountain" spire, a common and more recent addition.

A high degree of symmetry is common in Khmer temples

Two kilns, centre

Banteay Srei was consecrated in 967 and was built largely with red sandstone, the only example of its kind. This is a higher-quality stone which allowed for deeper, more detailed carvings which withstood the test of time, although the structure itself has been damaged by hurricanes, jungle overgrowth, and bombings during the wars of the 20th century like many other temples.

Banteay Srei

The temple was originally named Tribhuvanamaheśvara and was dedicated to Shiva. Upon its rediscovery the locals named it Banteay Srei which means Citadel of Women, owing to it's smaller size and the pinkish hue from the red stone.

The 12th century saw much conflict for the Khmer Empire, both internally and externally. After a series of brutal power struggles, the kingdom united internally in 1113 A.D. under King Suryavarman II. He commenced construction immediately on a grand temple, one which would serve as a fitting house for the gods and represent the structure of the cosmos itself:

Angkor Wat, the Citadel Temple, took 37 years and some 300,000 labourers to complete. The inner temple-mountain was constructed first with the five towers representing the peaks of Mount Meru, the home of the Deva in Hindu mythology and the centre of the universe. The courtyards and walls surrounding them represent the plains and mountains of the mortal plane, and the impressive 5km moat enclosing the complex represents the great oceans encircling the world.

 Unlike most, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west. In Hinduism this direction is associated with death, which initially led scholars to believe that this temple was intended as a burial site for Suryavarman II. However inscriptions were found dedicating this temple to Vishnu, the guardian of the west, and a few other temples in the Angkor complex are oriented this way as well. In any case, Suryavarman II died in battle in an attempt to route the Dai Viet in 1157, and his body was never brought home.

Just inside the moat is the outer wall which encloses an area of over 800,000 square metres. Originally occupied by the city proper and the royal palace, these buildings have all long since decomposed having been built of wood and other such materials. Only two stone libraries, the central raised main street, and traces of the roads remain.

Where once there was a city

Encircling the lowest level of the temple itself is a series of eight bas-relief galleries depicting both historical and mythical events, including great battles, the Hindu creation myth, life in heaven and hell, and monkeys biting horses (it's cool, the monkeys were the good guys). The general citizenry would have been permitted to enter only this level, except on special occasions when they may ascend further.

The west gallery

Churning the ocean of milk; the creation myth

Suryavarman II on the march

Heaven & Hell (hell portion depicted)

Battle of Lanka (good guy depicted)

Inside these gallery walls, connecting them with the second-level enclosure is a cloister called Preah Poan, the Hall of a Thousand Gods. Pilgrims left images and statues of the Buddha here as offerings, and there are many inscriptions of their good deeds. Most of the statues have since been removed, but many are found in the Angkor National Museum in town.

Sorry for the quality; every wall nook contains a Buddha

The second level enclosure is a flat, sunken courtyard with a small library building. It is decorated with carvings of Deva on many surfaces, and highly detailed lintels over the doorways. It is believed that this courtyard may have been flooded in order to perform religious rituals.

Lintel detail

Library in the second-level enclosure

The shadow reveals the five peaks

The innermost sanctuary called the Bakan was reserved for the king and for the priest caste. 12 sets of 37 stairs, representing the 37 levels of heaven, are arranged around the structure and lead to the top. They are very steep, because it is not easy to ascend to heaven.

Stairs up from the 2nd level

Mt. Meru from inside the Bakan

View of the main gate from the Bakan

Jayavarman VII established a new city center, Angkor Thom, just to the north of Angkor Wat in the early 13th century and set about building his state temple soon after. He is considered the last great king of the empire, and is regarded highly for his public works and empathetic rule. This is attributed to his Buddhist beliefs which set him apart from earlier kings, who were all Hindu excepting one. His state temple, Bayon, reflects this in it's unique architecture.

Can you spot them all?

There are 216 giant, serene, smiling faces on the towers and other surfaces of the temple. Many scholars believe these to be a representation of the Bodhisattva of compassion, while similarities between the faces and contemporary statues of Jayavarman VII lead others to think they are of the king himself. In addition to these striking portraits, the temple is richly decorated with insightful galleries, alluring apsaras, and delightful details tucked into every nook.

The gallery extending to either side of us in the photo above depicts daily life for the citizens of Angkor Thom. Cooking, eating, building, dog- and cock-fighting; they certainly kept busy in the ancient capital.

Some liberties taken vis-a-vis physics

Dancing apsaras

This little fella appears in numerous temples

The inside of a door frame

boop

Jayavarman VII undertook monumental construction and public works projects; the Angkor Thom city eclipses Angkor Wat's in size, even if the state temple is smaller. He was responsible for the building of over 100 hospitals across the region, and hundreds of rest houses placed every 15 kilometres along major roads for pilgrims. Statues dedicated to Jayavarman VII can still be found in Siem Reap and villages nearby.