Sacred female image from Chao Say Tevoda

From the 8th-14th centuries, the Khmer civilization unified most of Southeast Asia, implementing systems of government, religion, education, agriculture and architecture that still color the region today.

Khmer nobility and peasants alike chose to live in homes of wood, bamboo and thatch as they reserved the more permanent materials of stone and brick only for temples to their gods. Today, thousands of their religious structures still dot the landscape of Cambodia and Thailand, offering us clues to understanding the amazing people who built them.

The best photo index of Khmer temples in Cambodia and Thailand is available free thanks to the efforts of “Khmersearch,” a skilled (and generous) German photographer. Panoramio hosts his high resolution photo collection of  ancient Khmer temples, hospitals, dharmasalas, ruins and water features. Each photo is geographically located using Google Earth.

I found this extensive collection while researching the obscure temples of Prasat Mebon and Prasat Toap near Banteay Chhmar. In fact, many of the structures featured are virtually unvisited sites that are difficult to find, making this online resource especially unique.

Note that his photo collection offers only visual verification of the sites and does not include historical details.

We at Devata.org express our gratitude to Khmersearch for the time and effort devoted to creating this important record of Khmer history. The temple list below is organized by country (Cambodia and Thailand).

Temples featuring devata (sacred women) appear in green (note that devata are not necessarily included in Khmersearch images). Links to Devata.org photo sets and related devata articles appear in red.

Cambodia

“All Cambodia Sites”

Thailand

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.

By Kent Davis

The Khmer temple of Ta Som is located northeast of the walled city of Angkor Thom and east of the water temple of Neak Pean.

King Jayavarman VII built Ta Som late in the 12th century and dedicated it to his father, King Dharanindravarman II, who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1150 to 1160 following the death of King Suryavarman II.

Henri Marchal first cleared the vegetation fr0m the temple in 1930. The central towers were arranged in the quincunx pattern, like Angkor Wat, but now only the east tower is left standing so this is less obvious.

For detailed photos of the Khmer devata and apsara of Ta Som please visit this page.

]]> http://www.devata.org/2009/07/ta-som-khmer-temple-siem-reap-cambodia/feed/ 0 http://www.devata.org/2009/07/ta-som-devata-sacred-khmer-women-in-12th-century-cambodia/ http://www.devata.org/2009/07/ta-som-devata-sacred-khmer-women-in-12th-century-cambodia/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:35:31 +0000 admin http://www.devata.org/?p=1419

Perhaps her distant grandmother is portrayed in the ancient temple nearby?

By Kent Davis

The Khmer temple of Ta Som is located northeast of the walled city of Angkor Thom and east of the water temple of Neak Pean.

King Jayavarman VII built Ta Som late in the 12th century and dedicated it to his father, King Dharanindravarman II, who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1150 to 1160 following the death of King Suryavarman II.

Like most Khmer temples, Ta Som is filled with standing female images called devata (or tevoda, tevada), and flying or dancing female divinities called apsara (or apsarases, apsaras).

At first glance the women appear similar, but upon close examination one sees that each is unique and features her own special attributes. Some display attributes and abilities that characterize them as divine. Others seem to be earthly women fulfilling sacred duties.