Cambodia

CAMBODIA Pre-Khmer or Khmer Primitive.—The history of Indian architecture in south-eastern Asia can be followed in Cambodia better than anywhere else; here, despite the fact that with the disappearance of wooden architecture more abundant than that in stone, the sequence is relatively complete. In the Khmer prim itive, or pre-Khmer (as different authors interpret it) architecture of southern Cambodia, dating from the 6th and 7th centuries (when permanent material such as brick, laterite, and stone were just coming into use), we find a series of buildings which exhibit striking analogies with those of the early Calukyas of the western Dekhan, as well as with those of the Pallavas, and even with the earlier style of the Andhras. M. Parmentier, in his two fine vol umes entitled L'Art khmer primitif, has argued, probably rightly, that both these early Cambodian and the contemporary Indian forms are developed locally from common earlier Indian sources. A slab-built cella at Hanchei recalls the small shrine on the roof of the Lad Khan at Aihole ; it was once perhaps surrounded by a pillared hall as at Bhumara. Another very elegant square cella at Prei Kuk has shallow pilasters, and characteristic Indian cor nices with dormer-arches framing Gandharva heads, and is quite Pallava in appearance. Here also, and at Bayang there are high brick towers suggesting such Gupta types as Deogarh or Bhitar gaon ; at Maha Rosei there is a granite shrine of Pallava type.

Classic Period, Khmer.

From the 9th to the 12th century and even later, Cambodian architecture develops still in brick and laterite, but more characteristically in stone. Indian forms are departed from, or freely modified, and local features appear, so that a truly national architecture comes into being. Unlike any thing in India are the half-vaulted arches with curved stone slop ing roofs imitating tiles, and so too the huge faces or masks on the sides of the early towers of the Bayon and Angkor Thom gate ways. On the other hand the later towers develop as in India by a reduplication of storeys, vertically compressed, and many motifs, seemingly novel, for example the Garuda caryatides of the Prah Khan walls and the Angkor Thom terrace have really older Indian prototypes. The classic Khmer architecture is widely distributed in northern Cambodia, perhaps the original seat of the Khmers. The best known monuments, out of hundreds still in existence, are the city of Angkor Thom and the neighbouring temple of Angkor `'Vat ("Angkor" is a corruption of Sanskrit nagara, city or capital; Wat or Vat, a later Siamese term for any Buddhist monument). The city, occupied about A.D. goo, is of great extent, and contained within a moat, crossed by five causeways with para pets consisting of gods and giants holding the body of a giant Naga; these causeways lead to triple gateways large enough for the passage of elephants, and from these proceed five roads to the heart of the city. Near the city are the previous capital of Prah Khan, and other shrines such as the Neak Nan, and Phnom Bakeng, and Angkor `'Vat, and many artificial lakes. The city is situated in the plains, among the rice-fields and near the great lake, both necessary sources of food supply for a great population. There the most important structures are found to be the great terrace running along the public square in front of the palace site; and numerous temples, of which the Bayon is the most re markable, others being known as the Baphuon, and Phimanakas.

The Bayon, intended to be Buddhist, was adapted to 8aiva usage before its completion, and ultimately contained the statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities, the Deva Raja (a lingam represent ing the king's divinity), and statues of deified royal ancestors. Its most conspicuous feature consists of the towers with enormous masks (representing Lokesvara) on each face ; but equally inter esting are the reliefs in which almost every aspect of contempo rary life is depicted. The Baphuon, c. A.D. 1000, is a typical, terraced, pyramidal structure (prang), with median stairways lead ing to a stone gallery above. Of the many other temples built in less accessible sites, the Prah Vihear may be mentioned; it is mag nificently situated on a spur of the Dangrek range, overlooking a rolling panorama of uninhabited jungle. Angkor Wat is the later Siamese designation of the most famous and most beautiful of Cambodian shrines, of which the true name is unknown, though there is reason to think the dedication was to Visnu. The date is the early 12th century.

The 14th century temple of Isvarapura at Bantei Srei is proof that the capacities of the Khmers were not destroyed by the earlier Siamese invasions. But the country had certainly been devastated and Angkor Thom abandoned by the 15th century, and when later inscriptions appear, they belong to the Siamese period, and Hinayana Buddhism has replaced the mixed Mahay ana Buddhism and Hinduism which formed the state religion of the Khmers in the classical period.