Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat (Khmer: ) is the largest[1] Hindu temple complex in the world, situated at Angkor, Cam odia, uilt ! King "ur!a#arman $$ in the earl! 1%th centur! as his state temple and capital cit!& As the est'preser#ed temple at the site, it is the onl! one to ha#e remained a signi(icant religious centre since its (oundation ) (irst Hindu, dedicated to the god *ishnu, then +uddhist& ,he temple is at the top o( the high classical st!le o( Khmer architecture& $t has ecome a s!m ol o( Cam odia, appearing on its national (lag, and it is the countr!-s prime attraction (or #isitors& Angkor .at com ines two asic plans o( Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, ased on earl! "outh $ndian Hindu architecture, with ke! (eatures such as the /agati& $t is designed to represent 0ount 0eru, home o( the de#as in Hindu m!tholog!: within a moat and an outer wall 1&2 kilometres (%&% mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised a o#e the next& At the centre o( the temple stands a 3uincunx o( towers& 4nlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor .at is oriented to the west5 scholars are di#ided as to the signi(icance o( this& ,he temple is admired (or the grandeur and harmon! o( the architecture, its extensi#e as'relie(s, and (or the numerous de#atas adorning its walls& ,he modern name, Angkor .at, means 6Cit! ,emple65 Angkor is a #ernacular (orm o( the word nokor (), which comes (rom the "anskrit word nagar ()& Wat is the Khmer (orm o( the 7ali word 6#atthu6, meaning 6temple grounds6& 7rior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (*ara *ishnuloka in "anskrit), a(ter the posthumous title o( its (ounder&[%]

History
King "ur!a#arman $$, the uilder o( Angkor .at Angkor .at lies 8&8 kilometres (1&9 mi) north o( the modern town o( "iem :eap, and a short distance south and slightl! east o( the pre#ious capital, which was centred at +aphuon& $t is in an area o( Cam odia where there is an important group o( ancient structures& $t is the southernmost o( Angkor-s main sites& ,he initial design and construction o( the temple took place in the (irst hal( o( the 1%th centur!, during the reign o( "ur!a#arman $$ (ruled 1111 ) c& 118;)& <edicated to *ishnu, it was uilt as the king-s state temple and capital cit!& As neither the (oundation stela nor an! contemporar! inscriptions re(erring to the temple ha#e een (ound, its original name is unknown, ut it ma! ha#e een known as Vrah Vishnu-lok ( literall! 6Hol! Vishnu'-Location'", Old Khmer' Cl. Sanskrit)& a(ter the presiding deit!& .ork seems to ha#e ended shortl! a(ter the king-s death, lea#ing some o( the as'relie( decoration un(inished&[1] $n 11==, approximatel! %= !ears a(ter the death o( "ur!a#arman $$, Angkor was sacked ! the Chams, the traditional enemies o( the

Khmer& ,herea(ter the empire was restored ! a new king, /a!a#arman *$$, who esta lished a new capital and state temple (Angkor ,hom and the +a!on respecti#el!) a (ew kilometres to the north&

$n the late 11th centur!, Angkor .at graduall! mo#ed (rom Hindu to ,hera#ada +uddhist use, which continues to the present da!& Angkor .at is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected a(ter the 12th centur! it was ne#er completel! a andoned, its preser#ation eing due in part to the (act that its moat also pro#ided some protection (rom encroachment ! the >ungle&[9] ?ne o( the (irst .estern #isitors to the temple was Ant@nio da 0adalena, a 7ortuguese monk who #isited in 18A2 and said that it 6is o( such extraordinar! construction that it is not possi le to descri e it with a pen, particularl! since it is like no other uilding in the world& $t has towers and decoration and all the re(inements which the human genius can concei#e o(&6[8] Howe#er, the temple was popularised in the .est onl! in the mid'1Bth centur! on the pu lication o( Henri 0ouhot-s tra#el notes& ,he Crench explorer wrote o( it: 6?ne o( these templesDa ri#al to that o( "olomon, and erected ! some ancient 0ichelangeloD might take an honoura le place eside our most eauti(ul uildings& $t is grander than an!thing le(t to us ! Ereece or :ome, and presents a sad contrast to the state o( ar arism in which the nation is now plunged&6[2] 0ouhot, like other earl! .estern #isitors, (ound it di((icult to elie#e that the Khmers could ha#e uilt the temple, and mistakenl! dated it to around the same era as :ome& ,he true histor! o( Angkor .at was pieced together onl! (rom st!listic and epigraphic e#idence accumulated during the su se3uent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site& ,here were no ordinar! dwellings or houses or other signs o( settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items o( clothing usuall! (ound at ancient sites& $nstead there is the e#idence o( the monuments themsel#es&[=]

Crench postcard a out Angkor .at in 1B11 Angkor .at re3uired considera le restoration in the %;th centur!, mainl! the remo#al o( accumulated earth and #egetation&[A] .ork was interrupted ! the ci#il war and Khmer :ouge control o( the countr! during the 1B=;s and 1BA;s, ut relati#el! little damage was done during this period other than the the(t and destruction o( mostl! post'Angkorian statues&[B] ,he temple is a power(ul s!m ol o( Cam odia, and is a source o( great national pride that has (actored into Cam odia-s diplomatic relations with its neigh our ,hailand, Crance and the 4nited "tates& A depiction o( Angkor .at has een a part o( Cam odian national (lags since the introduction o( the (irst #ersion circa 1A21&[1;] Crom a larger historical and e#en transcultural

perspecti#e, howe#er, the temple o( Angkor .at did not ecame a s!m ol o( national pride sui generis ut had een inscri ed into a larger politico'cultural process o( Crench'colonial heritage production in which the original temple site was presented in Crench colonial and uni#ersal exhi itions in 7aris and 0arseille etween 1AAB and 1B1=&[11] ,he splendid artistic legac! o( Angkor .at and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directl! to Crance adopting Cam odia as a protectorate on 11 August 1A21 and in#ading "iam to take control o( the ruins& ,his 3uickl! led to Cam odia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner o( the countr! that had een under "iamese (,hai) control since 1181 A< (0anich /umsai %;;1), or ! some accounts, 1911 A<&[1%] Cam odia gained independence (rom Crance on B Fo#em er 1B81 and has controlled Angkor .at since that time& <uring the midst o( the *ietnam .ar, Chie( o( "tate Forodom "ihanouk hosted /ac3ueline Kenned! in Cam odia to (ul(ill her 6li(elong dream o( seeing Angkor .at&6[11] $n /anuar! %;;1 riots erupted in 7hnom 7enh when a (alse rumour circulated that a ,hai soap opera actress had claimed that Angkor .at elonged to ,hailand&[19]

Architecture

Angkor .at, located at 11G%998F 1;1G8%;H, is a uni3ue com ination o( the temple mountain, the standard design (or the empire-s state temples, the later plan o( concentric galleries, and in(luences (rom ?rissa and the Chola o( ,amil Fadu, $ndia& ,he temple is a representation o( 0ount 0eru, the home o( the gods: the central 3uincunx o( towers s!m olises the (i#e peaks o( the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean&[18] Access to the upper areas o( the temple was progressi#el! more exclusi#e, with the lait! eing admitted onl! to the lowest le#el&[12] 4nlike most Khmer temples, Angkor .at is oriented to the west rather than the east& ,his has led man! (including ElaiIe and Eeorge CoedJs) to conclude that "ur!a#arman intended it to ser#e as his (unerar! temple&[1=] Curther e#idence (or this #iew is pro#ided ! the as'relie(s, which proceed in a counter'clockwise directionD rasa!"a in Hindu terminolog!Das this is the re#erse o( the normal order& :ituals take place in re#erse order during +rahminic (uneral ser#ices&[A] ,he archaeologist Charles Higham also descri es a container which ma! ha#e een a (unerar! >ar which was reco#ered (rom the central tower&[1A] $t has een nominated ! some as the greatest expenditure o( energ! on the disposal o( a corpse&[1B] Creeman and /ac3ues, howe#er, note that se#eral other temples o( Angkor depart (rom the t!pical eastern orientation, and suggest that Angkor .at-s alignment was due to its dedication to *ishnu, who was associated with the west&
[18]

A (urther interpretation o( Angkor .at has een proposed ! Hleanor 0annikka& <rawing on the temple-s alignment and dimensions, and on the content and arrangement o( the as'relie(s, she

argues that the structure represents a claimed new era o( peace under King "ur!a#arman $$: 6as the measurements o( solar and lunar time c!cles were uilt into the sacred space o( Angkor .at, this di#ine mandate to rule was anchored to consecrated cham ers and corridors meant to perpetuate the king-s power and to honor and placate the deities mani(est in the hea#ens a o#e&6[%;][%1] 0annikka-s suggestions ha#e een recei#ed with a mixture o( interest and scepticism in academic circles&[1A] "he distances hersel( (rom the speculations o( others, such as Eraham Hancock, that Angkor .at is part o( a representation o( the constellation <raco&[%%]

Style

4pper galler! at Angkor .at Angkor .at is the prime example o( the classical st!le o( Khmer architectureDthe Angkor .at st!leDto which it has gi#en its name& +! the 1%th centur! Khmer architects had ecome skilled and con(ident in the use o( sandstone (rather than rick or laterite) as the main uilding material& 0ost o( the #isi le areas are o( sandstone locks, while laterite was used (or the outer wall and (or hidden structural parts& ,he inding agent used to >oin the locks is !et to e identi(ied, although natural resins or slaked lime ha#e een suggested&[%1] Angkor .at has drawn praise a o#e all (or the harmon! o( its design, which has een compared to the architecture o( ancient Ereece and :ome& According to 0aurice ElaiIe, a mid'%;th' centur! conser#ator o( Angkor, the temple 6attains a classic per(ection ! the restrained monumentalit! o( its (inel! alanced elements and the precise arrangement o( its proportions& $t is a work o( power, unit! and st!le&6[%9] Architecturall!, the elements characteristic o( the st!le include: the ogi#al, redented towers shaped like lotus uds5 hal('galleries to roaden passagewa!s5 axial galleries connecting enclosures5 and the cruci(orm terraces which appear along the main axis o( the temple& ,!pical decorati#e elements are de#atas (or apsaras), as'relie(s, and on pediments extensi#e garlands and narrati#e scenes& ,he statuar! o( Angkor .at is considered conser#ati#e, eing more static and less grace(ul than earlier work&[%8] ?ther elements o( the design ha#e een destro!ed ! looting and the passage o( time, including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some (igures on the as'relie(s, and wooden ceiling panels and doors&[%2] ,he Angkor .at st!le was (ollowed ! that o( the +a!on period, in which 3ualit! was o(ten sacri(iced to 3uantit!&[%=] ?ther temples in the st!le are +antea! "amrK, ,hommanon, Chao "a!

,e#oda and the earl! temples o( 7reah 7ithu at Angkor5 outside Angkor, +eng 0ealea and parts o( 7hanom :ung and 7himai&

Features

Outer enclosure ,he outer wall, 1;%9 ! A;% m and 9&8 m high, is surrounded ! a 1; m apron o( open ground and a moat 1B; m wide& Access to the temple is ! an earth ank to the east and a sandstone causewa! to the west5 the latter, the main entrance, is a later addition, possi l! replacing a wooden ridge&[%A] ,here are gopuras at each o( the cardinal points5 the western is ! (ar the largest and has three ruined towers& ElaiIe notes that this gopura oth hides and echoes the (orm o( the temple proper&[%B] 4nder the southern tower is a statue o( *ishnu, known as #a $each, which ma! originall! ha#e occupied the temple-s central shrine&[%A] Ealleries run etween the towers and as (ar as two (urther entrances on either side o( the gopura o(ten re(erred to as 6elephant gates6, as the! are large enough to admit those animals& ,hese galleries ha#e s3uare pillars on the outer (west) side and a closed wall on the inner (east) side& ,he ceiling etween the pillars is decorated with lotus rosettes5 the west (ace o( the wall with dancing (igures5 and the east (ace o( the wall with alustered windows, dancing male (igures on prancing animals, and de#atas, including (south o( the entrance) the onl! one in the temple to e showing her teeth& ,he outer wall encloses a space o( A%;,;;; s3uare metres (%;1 acres), which esides the temple proper was originall! occupied ! the cit! and, to the north o( the temple, the ro!al palace& Like all secular uildings o( Angkor, these were uilt o( perisha le materials rather than o( stone, so nothing remains o( them except the outlines o( some o( the streets&[1;] 0ost o( the area is now co#ered ! (orest& A 18; m causewa! connects the western gopura to the temple proper, with naga alustrades and six sets o( steps leading down to the cit! on either side& Hach side also (eatures a li rar! with entrances at each cardinal point, in (ront o( the third set o( stairs (rom the entrance, and a pond etween the li rar! and the temple itsel(& ,he ponds are later additions to the design, as is the cruci(orm terrace guarded ! lions connecting the causewa! to the central structure&[1;] Central structure

0iniature model o( the central structure o( Angkor .at& $n the (oreground the cruci(orm terrace which lies in (ront o( the central structure& ,he temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the cit!& $t is made o( three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, each le#el higher than the last& 0annikka interprets these galleries as eing dedicated to the king, +rahma, the moon, and *ishnu&[1] Hach galler! has a gopura at each o( the points, and the two inner galleries each ha#e towers at their corners, (orming a 3uincunx with the central tower& +ecause the temple (aces west, the (eatures are all set ack towards the

east, lea#ing more space to e (illed in each enclosure and galler! on the west side5 (or the same reason the west'(acing steps are shallower than those on the other sides& ,he outer galler! measures 1A= ! %18 m, with pa#ilions rather than towers at the corners& ,he galler! is open to the outside o( the temple, with columned hal('galleries extending and uttressing the structure& Connecting the outer galler! to the second enclosure on the west side is a cruci(orm cloister called Preah Poan (the 6Hall o( a ,housand Eods6)& +uddha images were le(t in the cloister ! pilgrims o#er the centuries, although most ha#e now een remo#ed& ,his area has man! inscriptions relating the good deeds o( pilgrims, most written in Khmer ut others in +urmese and /apanese& ,he (our small court!ards marked out ! the cloister ma! originall! ha#e een (illed with water&[11] Forth and south o( the cloister are li raries& +e!ond, the second and inner galleries are connected to each other and to two (lanking li raries ! another cruci(orm terrace, again a later addition& Crom the second le#el upwards, de#atas a ound on the walls, singl! or in groups o( up to (our& ,he second'le#el enclosure is 1;; ! 118 m, and ma! originall! ha#e een (looded to represent the ocean around 0ount 0eru&[1%] ,hree sets o( steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras o( the inner galler!& ,he #er! steep stairwa!s represent the di((icult! o( ascending to the kingdom o( the gods&[11] ,his inner galler!, called the %akan, is a 2; m s3uare with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and su sidiar! shrines located elow the corner towers& ,he roo(ings o( the galleries are decorated with the moti( o( the od! o( a snake ending in the heads o( lions or garudas& Car#ed lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines& ,he tower a o#e the central shrine rises 91 m to a height o( 28 m a o#e the ground5 unlike those o( pre#ious temple mountains, the central tower is raised a o#e the surrounding (our&[19] ,he shrine itsel(, originall! occupied ! a statue o( *ishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was con#erted to ,hera#ada +uddhism, the new walls (eaturing standing +uddhas& $n 1B19, the conser#ator Eeorge ,rou#K exca#ated the pit eneath the central shrine: (illed with sand and water it had alread! een ro ed o( its treasure, ut he did (ind a sacred (oundation deposit o( gold lea( two metres a o#e ground le#el&[18] Decoration

<e#atas are characteristic o( the Angkor .at st!le&

,he as'relie( o( the Churning o( the "ea o( 0ilk shows *ishnu in the centre, his turtle A#atar Kurma elow, asuras and de#as to le(t and right, and apsaras and $ndra a o#e& $ntegrated with the architecture o( the uilding, and one o( the causes (or its (ame is Angkor .at-s extensi#e decoration, which predominantl! takes the (orm o( as'relie( (rieIes& ,he inner walls o( the outer galler! ear a series o( large'scale scenes mainl! depicting episodes (rom the Hindu epics the :ama!ana and the 0aha harata& Higham has called these, 6the greatest known linear arrangement o( stone car#ing6&[12] Crom the north'west corner anti'clockwise, the western galler! shows the +attle o( Lanka ((rom the :ama!ana, in which :ama de(eats :a#ana) and the +attle o( Kurukshetra ((rom the 0aha harata, showing the mutual annihilation o( the Kaura#a and 7anda#a clans)& ?n the southern galler! (ollow the onl! historical scene, a procession o( "ur!a#arman $$, then the 1% hells and 1= hea#ens o( Hindu m!tholog!& ?n the eastern galler! is one o( the most cele rated scenes, the Churning o( the "ea o( 0ilk, showing B%[1=] asuras and AA de#as using the serpent *asuki to churn the sea under *ishnu-s direction (0annikka counts onl! B1 asuras, and explains the as!mmetrical num ers as representing the num er o( da!s (rom the winter solstice to the spring e3uinox, and (rom the e3uinox to the summer solstice)&[1A] $t is (ollowed ! *ishnu de(eating asuras (a 12th'centur! addition)& ,he northern galler! shows Krishna-s #ictor! o#er +ana (where according to ElaiIe, 6,he workmanship is at its worst6[1B]) and a attle etween the Hindu gods and asuras& ,he north' west and south'west corner pa#ilions oth (eature much smaller'scale scenes, some unidenti(ied ut most (rom the :ama!ana or the li(e o( Krishna&

Construction techniques
,he stones, as smooth as polished mar le, were laid without mortar with #er! tight >oints that were sometimes hard to (ind& ,he locks were held together ! mortise and tenon >oints in some cases, while in others the! used do#etails and gra#it!& ,he locks were presuma l! put in place ! a com ination o( elephants, coir ropes, pulle!s and am oo sca((olding& Henri 0ouhot noted that most o( the locks had holes %&8 cm in diameter and 1 cm deep, with more holes on the larger locks& "ome scholars ha#e suggested that these were used to >oin them together with iron rods, ut others claim the! were used to hold temporar! pegs to help manoeu#re them into place&

,he monument was made out o( enormous amounts o( sandstone, as much as Kha(re-s p!ramid in Hg!pt (o#er 8 million tons)& ,his sandstone had to e transported (rom 0ount Kulen, a 3uarr! approximatel! %8 miles (9; km) to the northeast& ,he stone was presuma l! transported ! ra(t along the "iem :eap ri#er& ,his would ha#e to ha#e een done with care to a#oid o#erturning the ra(ts with such a large amount o( weight& ?ne modern engineer estimated it would take 1;; !ears to complete Angkor .at toda!&[9;] Met the monument was egun soon a(ter "ur!a#arman came to the throne and was (inished shortl! a(ter his death, no more than 9; !ears& *irtuall! all o( its sur(aces, columns, lintels e#en roo(s are car#ed& ,here are miles o( relie(s illustrating scenes (rom $ndian literature including unicorns, gri((ins, winged dragons pulling chariots as well as warriors (ollowing an elephant'mounted leader and celestial dancing girls with ela orate hair st!les& ,he galler! wall alone is decorated with almost 1,;;; s3uare metres o( as relie(s& Holes on some o( the Angkor walls indicate that the! ma! ha#e een decorated with ronIe sheets& ,hese were highl! priIed in ancient times and were a prime target (or ro ers& .hile exca#ating Kha>uraho, Alex H#ans, a stonemason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture under 9 (eet (1&% m), this took a out 2; da!s to car#e&[91] :oger Hopkins and 0ark Lehner also conducted experiments to 3uarr! limestone which took 1% 3uarr!men %% da!s to 3uarr! a out 9;; tons o( stone&[9%] ,he la our (orce to 3uarr!, transport, car#e and install so much sandstone must ha#e run into the thousands including man! highl! skilled artisans& ,he skills re3uired to car#e these sculptures were de#eloped hundreds o( !ears earlier, as demonstrated ! some arti(acts that ha#e een dated to the se#enth centur!, e(ore the Khmer came to power&[1B][9;]&&&

*iew o( the moat surrounding Angkor .at

Angkor Wat today

.orld 0onuments Cund #ideo on conser#ation o( Angkor .at ,he Archaeological "ur#e! o( $ndia carried out restoration work on the temple etween 1BA2 and 1BB%&[91] "ince the 1BB;s, Angkor .at has seen continued conser#ation e((orts and a massi#e increase in tourism& ,he temple is part o( the Angkor .orld Heritage "ite, esta lished in 1BB%, which has pro#ided some (unding and has encouraged the Cam odian go#ernment to protect the site&[99] ,he Eerman Apsara Conser#ation 7ro>ect (EAC7) is working to protect the de#atas and other as'relie(s which decorate the temple (rom damage& ,he organisation-s sur#e! (ound that around %;N o( the de#atas were in #er! poor condition, mainl! ecause o( natural erosion and deterioration o( the stone ut in part also due to earlier restoration e((orts&[98] ?ther work in#ol#es the repair o( collapsed sections o( the structure, and pre#ention o( (urther collapse: the west (acade o( the upper le#el, (or example, has een uttressed ! sca((olding since %;;%,[92] while a /apanese team completed restoration o( the north li rar! o( the outer enclosure in %;;8&[9=] .orld 0onuments Cund egan work on the Churning o( the "ea o( 0ilk Ealler! in %;;A& Angkor .at has ecome a ma>or tourist destination& $n %;;9 and %;;8, go#ernment (igures suggest that, respecti#el!, 821,;;; and 2==,;;; (oreign #isitors arri#ed in "iem :eap pro#ince, approximatel! 8;N o( all (oreign tourists in Cam odia (or oth !ears&[9A] ,he site has een managed ! the pri#ate "?K$0HO group since 1BB;, which rented it (rom the Cam odian go#ernment& ,he in(lux o( tourists has so (ar caused relati#el! little damage, other than some gra((iti5 ropes and wooden steps ha#e een introduced to protect the as'relie(s and (loors, respecti#el!& ,ourism has also pro#ided some additional (unds (or maintenanceDas o( %;;; approximatel! %AN o( ticket re#enues across the whole Angkor site was spent on the templesD although most work is carried out ! (oreign go#ernment'sponsored teams rather than ! the Cam odian authorities&[9B] At the A"HAF ,ourism Corum %;1%, oth parties ha#e agreed +oro udur and Angkor .at to ecome sister sites and the pro#inces will ecome sister pro#inces& ,wo $ndonesian airlines are considering the opportunit! to open a direct (light (rom Mog!akarta, Central /a#a 7ro#ince, $ndonesia to "iem :eap&[8;]