ANTH 320 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Angkor Thom, Banteay Kdei, Preah Khan
Document Summary
Angkor thom - laterite walled city 8 m surrounded by 100 m wide moat. Five entrances - n/e/s/w and the gate of the dead. Defines a gated community in the city of angkor. Gates of angkor thom lined with asuras (demons) and devas (angels) holding a coiled serpent. Mus (1936) - naga balustrade is symbol of rainbrow bridge to buddhist heaven. Wheatley - represent churning of the sea of milk - coils churn around the bayon, creating the amrita or elixir of immortality. State temple of jayavarman vii, positioned at the centre of angkor thom. Layout in form of a sacred mandala, a cosmological plan. Bayon: face towers - 52 face towers depict either avalokiteshvara (buddha or. Compassion) or the king looking out over his empire. Interaction with the chinese occurred at phnom krom. Inscription records that ta prohm owned 3140 villages. Inscriptions records that ta prohm owned 3140 villages. Mebon temple of jayavarman vii - horse, lion, human, elephant.
