KHMERS, The primitive inhabitants of Cambodia. They are now to he found chiefly in the marshy regions of the south and the neighboring parts of Siam and Cochin-China, but were probably at early period spread over a great portion of Southeastern Farther India. Their physical affinities have been the subject of much discussion, likewise their linguistic rela tionship. Brildon (1890) calls them "a mixed people, descended partly from Mongolian ances try, partly from Dravidian and Aryan conquer ors;" Keane (1896) speaks of their language as having "Oceanic (Malayo-Polynesian) affinities;" Deniker (1900) thinks that the Khmers have sprung from the intermixing of the Malays and Ku is, with an infusion of Hindu' blood at least in the higher classes of society." 'the Khmers seem to be somewhat taller, less broad-headed, and darker-skinned than the Annamese, Siamese, etc. Their eye, are seldom typically _Mongolian, and their hair is often wavy rather than straight. Though a people, in some respects, of quite a primitive type, they are undoubtedly the orig inators of the generally majestic and simple basic principles of the architecture seen in the re markable ruins of pyramids, temples, palaces, etc., of Angkor-Vat and elsewhere in the Khmer area. The original Khmer ideal has, however, been lightened by Indian influences, and perhaps other stimuli have also contributed to make the change front the first conception. Sonic of these ruins date from about the beginning of the Christian Era, but the most beautiful probably belong to the period A.D. 700-1400. Some au thorities seem inclined to attribute too little in flucnce to the Khmers in the construction of these wonderful monuments, considering them almost entirely of foreign origin. It would be better, perhaps, to regard some of their peculiarities as due to different flowerings of Khmer art at divers periods of the national history rather than as borrowings from outside. The modern Khmers
who have behind them these evidences of former civilizations are trio readily stigmatized by cer tain writers as mere 'degenerate descendants' of their cultured ancestors. preserving only in metal-smithing some recollections of their old time glories. Probably both the genius of the creators of the Khmer ruins and the 'degeneracy' of their successors have been exaggerated. Be sides the general works on Cambodia, Cochin China, Siam, etc., by Aymonier, Mourn, Gander, Lemire, (le., the following more special treatises may he referred to: Fournereau, Le Siam Ancien ( Paris, 1 SOS ) ; Fournerean et Po••her, Les mines d'.I »gkor (ib., 1800) ; Aymonier, Textes Khmers, etc. ( ib.. 1878-01). A Khmer-French Dictionary was published by Aymonier (Saigon, 1878).
KHNUM, 1;111177m, or CHNUIVI. An Egyptian deity worshiped especially in the vicinity of the first cataract of the Nile, where he is usually associated with the goddesses Satet and Anuket, worshiped in the same district. Ilis name was connected by the priests with a stem ( kh» in) signifying 'to form. fashion.' and in many Egyp lion texts he is styled the creator of gods and men. He is often depleted Ali-biting at the birth of kings, and forming the new-born child upon a potter's wheel. His sacred animal was the rain, and he is generally represented in hu man form, with the head and horns of a ram. In later times Chnum was regarded as a eosin real divinity. See Wiedemann, Religion of the Ancient Egyptians I NeW VOrk, 1897