Kings and gods

The Khmer ruled what is now Cambodia for a thousand years, beginning in about 800 CE. Their temples, like this one at Banteay Srei, often portray the ruling king as a god, with shrines within a monument that models the design of the cosmos and heavens. (Learn more)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Learn more

Khmer kings promoted the idea, known as devaraja, that there was an intersection of the ruling king and a validating god, usually the Hindu god Siva. Banteay Srei, shown here, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Siva that was built during the tenth century CE. It was constructed by Yajnyavaraha during the reign of two Khmer kings whom he served as councillor: Rajendravarman and Jayavarman V. The name Banteay Srei means “Citadel of Women.”

Banteay Srei is noted for the small scale of its buildings and their exquisitely fine carvings. Because the sandstone used here was of a more durable variety than the stone used at the main Angkor sites, it allowed for a precise, wood-like style of bas-relief carving, which also has retained greater preservation over the centuries. The Banteay Srei site also contained many free-standing statues of deities and guardian spirits. Most of the original statues are now removed, either by thieves or for museum preservation.

The style of the buildings, abstract motifs, and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu epic scenes is described by Southeast Asian art historians as partly archaic, but also sometimes progressive in terms of where classical Khmer temple art would lead. Overall, Banteay Srei is considered a small but precious jewel among the Angkor kingdom temples.

This view is aligned to look through parallel stone doorways into the central temple area. The smallest inner doorway to the center temple tower is so small that adults must crawl to enter it.

Learn more about .

Definitions

Khmer n.
The ethnic group to which most Cambodians belong.
councillor n.
Member of a council; advisor to a ruler or king.
bas-relief n.
A method of sculpting by carving or etching away the surface of a flat piece of stone or metal.
deity n.
A god or goddess.
classical adj.
Of or pertaining to an ancient civilization.

Powered by LEARN NC