Ta Som - East face of west entry pavilion, third enclosure. Photo-Luc Ionesco. © EFEO

A la découverte d’Angkor

Paris — Imagine the excitement of trekking through a tropical jungle and discovering a huge, intricately carved stone temple, a vestige of a mysterious civilization long since vanished from our world. That unbelievable scene happened hundreds of times in the 19th century as intrepid French explorers discovered the monuments of the mighty Khmer Empire in the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia.

The École Française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), an agency that has conducted extensive archaeological studies in Cambodia, has amassed a huge archive of information over the past 110 years. From September 10 until January 2, 2011 the Cernuschi Museum in Paris will host an exceptional collection of rare photos capturing the EFEO’s work at Angkor since 1907.

Angkor was the vibrant Khmer capitol for hundreds of years, but when the civilization collapsed in the 15th century the dense jungle slowly, and dramatically, reclaimed the city. Hundreds of years later, French explorer Henri Mouhot arrived and when his reports of a fabulous lost city built by an unknown civilization reached France they caused a sensation.

This exhibit, with 108 photos selected by EFEO library manager Isabelle Poujol, shows the temples of Angkor between 1860 and 1960 — before, during and after their release from the jungle’s grip.

The exhibit naturally shows work at the larger temples of Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Preah Khan, but also focuses on three other unique buildings:

Banteay Srei, dvarapala, guardian of the false west front door, central sanctuary, photographer Luc Ionesco © EFEO.

Banteay Srei – A 10th century temple dedicated to Shiva that was only rediscovered in 1914. Banteay Srei was the first temple in the Angkor area where the technique of anastylosis was used, i.e. using the original architectural elements to the greatest extent possible in rebuilding the strucure.

The Baphuon – An 11th century Hindu “temple-mountain” dedicated to Shiva that is the focus of a French restoration project that began in 1943 and resulted in the creation of a huge stoneyard with an inventory of 300,000 blocks.

Neak Pean – This Buddhist temple, whose name means “entwined serpents”, is build on an artificial island that was originally in one of the vast reservoirs created by the Khmer.

In addition to photos, the exhibit includes key documents relating to the discoveries and a stereoscopic image viewer. A new documentary on Angkor by director Didier Fassio is screened free every morning at 11 AM in the Conference Room (1st floor) of the museum.

This exhibition is part of the Mois de la Photo in Paris.

Video

This French language video offers a look at many of the rare photos on display in the exhibit.

Musée Cernuschi – Des archéologues à Angkor from Paris Musees on Vimeo.

Archaeologists at Angkor:
Photographic Archives from the EFEO

By Denise Heywood

The sight of ancient ruins emerging from the jungle has always captured the imagination. When recorded in early black and white photographs these images, swathed in mystery, are even more evocative and nowhere more so than in the jungles of Cambodia at Angkor.

The lost city, submerged in tropical forest after its demise in the 15th century, remained almost impenetrable until 1860 when the French explorer Henri Mouhot, one of a number of early visitors, captured its magic in drawings and written descriptions….

Read the rest of the article in the Asian Art Newspaper.

Museum Details

Isabelle Poujol, EFEO Library Director.

Gilles Béguin, Curator, Cernuschi Museum Director.

Cernuschi Museum

7 avenue Velasquez-75008 Paris Tel: 01 53 96 21 50
From 10:00 to 18:00, except Mondays and holidays

Admission prices at the exhibition

7 Euros TP – 5 euros TR1 – TR2 EUR 3.50. Age 13 and under free.

Exhibition Catalogue

256 pages / 148 illustrations, 29 euros

Click here to read this article in Italian at Cultor.org

Indradevi and Jayarajadevi: Ancient Queens Who Shaped an Asian Empire

The Khmer civilization brought education, health, spirituality and enlightenment to the masses of 12th century Southeast Asia. Two women, both queens of King Jayavarman VII, played critical roles in the kingdom’s expansion and success.

By Phalika Ngin –  © 2010 Copyright Phalika Ngin

Download a PDF of this article (650k)

ANGKOR, CAMBODIA — The temple of Angkor Wat may be Cambodia’s most well-known landmark but the prolific King Jayavarman VII built hundreds of stone monuments, including the complex shrines of the Bayon, Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, and Banteay Chhmar.

Fascination with this king’s architectural creations and territorial conquests has justifiably attracted much attention. New research now suggests that two brilliant advisers helped this king change the course of history. The king’s talented co-architects in shaping the Khmer Empire were none other than his two wives, Queen Indradevi and Queen Jayarajadevi.

The Khmer temples of Angkor Thom, the Bayon and Preah Khan.

Together, this royal trio made some of the most important contributions to Khmer heritage:

First, they built unique temples throughout Southeast Asia; Buddhist monuments and public structures that to this day bless Cambodia with cultural heritage that attracts millions of interested tourists from around the world.

Second, the enlightened trio implemented social systems in the 12^th century that we still strive for today. While Europe was in the Dark Ages, these rulers gave their subjects — men and women alike — the right to education, property ownership, political power and public healthcare. While most contemporary social programs come into existence through the struggles or revolutions of the people these changes came from the royals themselves.

Many of their social programs are well-documented by archaeological analysis of public infrastructure built during Jayavarman VII’s reign, including roadways, bridges, small temples, rest stops and hospitals. Little, however, was known about the efforts spearheaded by the two queens to grant and raise women powers to divine heights at that time.

Images that appear to be royal portraits of the two queens reveal additional evidence of female power and participation within the government. Additional evidence from illustrated bas-reliefs, monument pediments and written inscriptions on steles offers insights that document the pro-active approach these women took as unsung pioneers of social values and women’s rights.

At the south gate entrance of Angkor Thom, the royal trio greets all visitors.

Public Health Care and Education in Ancient Cambodia

The reign of Jayavarman VII saw 102 new hospitals built throughout the kingdom. In her 1976 book, Angkor Un Peuple-Un Art, Madeleine Giteau, former director of the National Museum of Cambodia, documents royal dedications from steles at hospital sites that spell out the open door policy to all four castes. For instance, the stele of Say-fong outlines the administration staff of 98 members, their duties, their pay and the inventory of the hospital’s pharmacy.

While Hindu civilizations often limit education to men only — and elite men at that — Jayavarman VII’s monasteries were open schools and training centers that welcomed men and women, girls and boys, alike.  In two illustrations in the Bayon, it appears that Queen Indradevi and Queen Jayarajadevi are portrayed as professors teaching groups of students (see photo below). While my evidence strongly suggests that these images are the queens themselves, the idea of female professors is revolutionary in and of itself.

To perpetuate these social systems, the inscriptions encouraged future kings and aristocrats to follow their charitable example of supporting public works by promising merit and heavenly rewards.

Education in Bayon bas-relief. In the top register, the two queens lecture before crowds of girls and boys. The lower register depicts military arts training. Men are briefed in the classrooms.

These important Khmer beliefs were not only expressed on steles, as previously thought. Every visitor to the Bayon, Angkor Thom and Banteay Chhmar, to cite three examples, sees illustrated stories that communicated these ideals to the illiterate, disparate population. These permanent carved illustrations appear in bas-relief and on monument pediments.

Clear Public Respect for King and Queens

On the second floor’s inner gallery bas reliefs of the Bayon, the lifestyle of this enterprising royal trio appears to be illustrated with details about their familial, social, political, and civil activities. The two queens most frequently appear sitting directly behind the king, tending to affairs of state in their palaces.

In a bas-relief depicting their romantic and personal lives, the king followed the lead of Queen Jayarajadevi (see photo below). On exterior reliefs at the Bayon, the two queens followed the king’s processions. In one particular bas-relief, one queen sits before the king, with both figures praying for the safety of their soldiers and victory in an upcoming battle.

The queens lead the way in these illusrations.

Seeing a queen sitting before this great Khmer conqueror (above right) implies that Jayavarman VII recognized Indradevi as a worthy military strategist. Many bas-relief depictions emphasize the important roles the two queens played in Jayavarman VII’s life. The implication is that this great Khmer king could not have realized his ambitions without Queen Indradevi and Queen Jayarajadevi by his side, organizing and managing his vast empire. Together they formed a royal trinity that changed the world from their capital of Angkor Thom, a metropolis of one million inhabitants in the 12th century.

The Dynamic Power of the Royal Trinity

Observing this dynamic, active profile of the royal trio challenges many historical stereotypes that cast Jayavarman VII and his queens as placid, aging ascetics. Some historians portray them as devout Buddhists absorbed by meditation in search of enlightenment. Based on my research, this misinterpretation appears to confuse passive Theravada Buddhism with the active Mahayana Buddhism that they practiced. The Mahayana Buddhist dharma called upon these three royals not only to enlighten themselves, but to actively take its message to the entire population.

The royal Mahayana trinity included Avalokiteshvara, Buddha, and Prajnaparamita.

The royal trinity’s brand of Mahayana Buddhism was infused with respect for women through the goddess Prajnaparamita, the Mother of all Buddhas. The trinity included the Lord Buddha; Lord Avalokiteshvara, the compassion of all Buddhas; and the goddess Prajnaparamita, the perfection of transcendent wisdom. During their reign, the empowerment of this trimurti or trinity, was represented in bronze statues (above) and extensively carved on the royal trio’s monuments (below).

Each alcove originally held the Mahayana trinity in relief, but religious conflict caused them to be removed later.

Particularly in the Rajavihara, the royal monastery, now known as Ta Prohm, this trinity was carved every two meters in the inner galleries. During the iconoclasm that followed Jayavarman VII’s reign Hindu successors painstakingly chiseled out thousands of royal Mahayana trinities from the walls (see photo above). In Ta Som, Shivaists removed pediments featuring Avalokiteshvara at the main temple entries along with the entire façades. On pediments, where the king and the queen worshiped Prajnaparamita, the images of the Prajnaparamita and the royals were later defaced, and then, demolished. (see photos below).

French conservators reconstructed a fallen pediment at Ta Som's entrance. The king, on the left, worshiped Avalokiteshvara.

On the left was a restored pediment showed traces of a standing Prajnaparamita, who the defaced royals worshiped. On the right, a pediment is now missing Prajnaparamita.

Enduring Evidence of Enlightened Rulers

Despite attempts to destroy their legacy, the royal trinity left a clear record of their beliefs for the ages. Throughout the empire the royals repeated their messages, consistently using religious iconography showing respect for women, with Prajnaparamita, a female Mahayana Buddhist divinity, standing on equal footing with Lord Avalokiteshvara. This hierarchy is unseen in prior eras yet, here, as Buddhism supplanted Shivaism, the roles of women were raised to divine heights. Here, the dominant forces became subservient to ideals of equality that infuriated them.

In the end, Shivaism briefly dominated the country one last time, desperate to show that it had no place for the importance of women either in religious or civil representations. Enraged Shivites proceeded to obliterate all the representations of  Prajnaparamita that they had the energy to destroy (See above). Despite their misguided efforts the message survived.

All visitors to the great walled city of Angkor Thom still receive additional confirmation of this ideology.  For more than 800 years, every visitor has had to enter and exit through one of five gateways into the Angkorian city-fortress that the royal trio built. At each gate, they created clear and subtle messages of their spiritual and personal beliefs.

As one approaches the gates, one sees three giant faces of the king forming three distinct peaks (see photo below), resembling the tri-conical crowns that Jayavarman VII wore to military functions, his branded signature, logo, and symbol of the king’s personal trinity – Queen Indradevi, Jayavarman VII  and Queen Jayarajadevi. This formidable royal trio had shared visions; by combining their feminine and masculine forces and intelligence they achieved milestones of social evolution by giving equal rights and opportunities to pave the road to a civilized nation.

As mentioned above,  enemies of this philosophy tried to obliterate these enlightened views, demolishing the façades of each gateway that, in my theory, previously showed the royal trinity. Following the obliteration of Buddhist symbols they renamed the faces to represent the Hindu god Shiva (or Brahma) (see below). But enough evidence still remains to see the original intent, especially when taken in context with the rest of the iconography of this reign.

North gate of Angkor Thom, note the paired 3-headed elephants and missing pediments with the facades, thus exposing the roofing’s frame into the king’s giant faces.

At ground level on both sides of each gate appear the special three-headed elephants of Indra, the Hindu God of Gods. Here, the king fitted the symbolic elephants with three conic crowns of lotus petals. This subtle but powerful change implied to all that these were no longer Indra’s elephants, but Jayavarman VII’s royal elephants. The king was proudly accompanied by his two queens smiling always, one on each side of him.  All three royal benefactors sat astride the elephants welcoming every visitor (see below).

Elephants wearing conic crowns remain below the defaced royal trio.

Above the king and the two queens, seven devata (sacred females in Khmer iconography) with both hands joined at heart level in the anjali prayer gesture greet and bless all visitors. Above, on both sides of the king’s giant face, a special devata appears draping two long flower garlands from her waist down, one by each side of his ear (see below). The concept of the trinity — two queens and one king — is frequently seen. Each city visitor therefore learned the personal, spiritual, and civil beliefs of its rulers, with clear messages regarding the rights and importance of women in this kingdom.

Each gate revealed the beliefs of the royal Khmer trio.

Queen Indradevi, King Jayavarman VII and Queen Jayarajadevi.

The time has come to understand this king and his two queens by the clear records they left for future generations. Their monuments, inscriptions and bas-relief illustrations show us magnanimous rulers who cared for their citizens.

These three great leaders shared a magnificent vision for their people. They worked together weaving wisdom, common sense, and humanitarian principles to create their own blend of Buddhism, a tripod of strength that embraced their national heritage, religious and civil ethics, and personal beliefs.

Like all true leaders, this royal trio led by example. Eight hundred years, later their legacy in stone still broadcasts their beliefs in humanity. While Angkor Wat impresses visitors with grandiose architecture the Bayon inspires visitors with heartfelt awe, beneath the king’s giant caring faces that peacefully smile upon them from above and surrounded by the queens’ gentle smiles at ground level.  In the Bayon today, King Jayavarman VII, Queen Jayarajadevi and Queen Indradevi still bless us with smiles recognizing the humanity in all of us.

Queen Indradevi, King Jayavarman VII and Queen Jayarajadevi at the Bayon.

About the Author

Phalika Ngin is a Khmer-American photographer and independent researcher living in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Her website, PhalikaN.com, presents her historical research, focuses on Neo-Classic Cambodian arts and crafts, and includes galleries of her original photography.

Cambodia Insight Magazine featured Ms Ngin’s research on Queen Indradevi and Queen Jayarajadevi in this cover article: “The Resurrection of Indradevi and Jayarajadevi-Queens of the 12th Century Khmer Kingdom“.

The Angkor Guide website offers a free download of this high quality guidebook.

First published in 1944, “The Monuments of the Angkor Group” remains one of the most comprehensive guidebooks with suggested itineraries, maps, photos and, in the words of  Georges Cœdes (1886-1969), a master of Khmer studies and former director of the École Française d’Extrême-Orient, the guidebook includes:

“…the fundamental ideas concerning the history of the country, its religions, the meaning and evolution of the monuments, their architecture and their decoration, the sculpture, and finally to the work of the Conservation d’Angkor, gives an initiation to Angkor that until now has been lacking.”

Tremmel’s online English version, based on the 4th edition introduced by Jean Boisselier,  is professionally translated and designed. Tremmel supplemented this new edition with more than 80 illustrations, including his own high quality photos that surpass those in the original edition (see examples below). The book also includes numerous diagrams and maps from the EFEO.

To download your free copy of this exceptional Angkor guidebook visit The Angkor Guide website. On his personal site, Nils Tremmel also offers beautiful guides to Haiti and to the Wonderland Trail circling Mt. Rainier in Washington state.

Modern Cambodia with the Angkor region circled in red.

Angkor Wat devata.

Angkor Wat devata on the second level.

Stucco detail at Prah Ko.

Bayon site plan

The face towers on The Bayon in Angkor Thom.

Next we travel to Angkor Wat starting with a view across the rainbow bridge and proceeding to the top of the temple. The narrator accurately conveys information about the temple’s connection to Vishnu, the bas relief carvings and the story of the Churning of the Sea of Milk depicted on the east wall.

Next he focuses on the devata, calling them asparas, celestial nymphs, and characterizing them as escorts to the gods and king.

Next he travels outside to describe Angkor Wat as a model of the universe with beautiful scenes in the green gardens, evidently shot during the wet months from August to October.

Treasures of the Khmer Empire – Angkor Wat - (6:00)

Treasures of the Khmer Empire – King Jayavarman VII - (5:50)

This part opens with a helicopter flight around Angkor Wat and a discussion about the Cham invasion of Angkor following the death of Suryavarman II. But all was not lost and around 1,185 Jayavarman VII ascended the throne and built the city of Angkor Thom.

Jayavarman also changed the state religion from Hinduism to Buddhism and began building temples, such as the Bayon which is examined in great detail.

Carved bas-reflief representations of devata (demigoddesses) were a prominent component of Angkorian temple decoration throughout the Middle Ages. The walls of Angkor Wat, the greatest of the temples, are host to hundreds of such devata. Scholars have speculated about their religious and cultural significance. Certainly their graceful and often friendly appearance enlivens the massive grey stones on which they appear.

MUSIC NOTE – I’ve received visitor comments that the European classical background music detracts from this video. I agree  that it would be far nicer with traditional Khmer tunes but I didn’t produce the show and can only present it as provided.

AngkorBlog Devata Video at Ta Prohm (1:55 )

Devata are minor female deities commonly positioned as guardians of the temples at Angkor. This clip shows devata at the 12th century temple of Ta Prohm.The music is a Sarabande of Georg Friedrich Handel performed by Jay C. Wingard.

[Visit the AngkorBlog website for more information about Ta Prohm]

Devata, Apsara and Cambodian Dancers in Khmer Temples – December 2007 - (7:24)

A beautiful slideshow that begins with devata in temple settings. At 2:20 the subject changes to modern dancers performing aspara roles in Khmer temples. From 5:04 to the end, the subject is the spectacular nighttime dance performance at Angkor Wat. Professionally done and set to classical and traditional music.