The culture & Architecture of Cambodia- an overview

1. CULTURE & ARCHITECTURE 1

2. C
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Location of
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Cambodia
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O
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Cambodian T
Provinces Y
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3. • Cambodia is a land of • Cambodia is a land of C
culture, tradition and enriching heritage A
ethnic civilization. which has its own set of M
• Cambodia records a racial or cultural tie ups. B
prosperous and diverse • The natives are restricted O
history which has its to a set of rules and
D
influence from the Indian protocols which define
continent. the culture of I
• The land of Cambodia is Cambodia . A
even influenced by the • The ancient capital of the N
customs of Thailand ad Khmer Empire was at
Laos . Angkor, close to present- S
• The Culture of Cambodia day Siem Reap. T
is subjected to Indian • In the fifteenth
Y
customs, which century, the capital was
developed its way of life moved to the area of the L
from the religions of intersection of the Sap E
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4. C
LOCATION GEOGRAPHY &
A
• Cambodia lies DEMOGRAPHICS
M
between Thailand
and Vietnam in • The majority of the B
mainland southeast world's Khmer live in O
Asia, with a smaller Cambodia, the D
stretch of the northern population of which is I
border adjoining 80% Khmer. A
Laos. • There are also
N
significant Khmer
LANGUAGE populations native to
• Khmer is the official Thailand and S
language of Vietnam. T
Cambodia - which is • Due to the Y
immensely influenced Cambodian Civil L
by Sanskrit and Pali. War, thousands of E
• Cambodians from Khmer now reside in 4

5. Cambodian
• The Culture of Cambodia KHMER
language, people, or
C
is hierarchical in nature culture and thus A
and follows certain suggests an ethnic and M
guidelines. linguistic identity. B
• As per the tradition of • Khmer people are the O
Cambodia one is predominant ethnic
supposed to show D
group in
respect to their elders. I
Cambodia, accounting
• At times, the elder of the for approximately 90% A
family are denoted with of the 14.8 million1 N
their family title as per people in the country.
their higher rank or • They speak the Khmer S
seniority language. T
• Greeting is an important • The majority of the
aspect of Cambodian Y
Khmer follow the Khmer
Etiquette wherein natives L
style of
address to one other with Buddhism, which blends E
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palms folded as if in

6. • Cambodian Civilization • Cambodia has had a C
primarily believes in the rich and varied A
Buddhist culture wherein history dating back M
about 95 percent practice many centuries.
B
the traditions of Theravada • Throughout
Buddhist. Cambodia's long O
• While the rest of the history, a major source D
population follow the of inspiration was from I
principles of religion. A
Islam, atheism, or animism • Throughout nearly two N
• The Culture of Cambodia millennium, Cambodia
initiated from the monarchy ns developed a
of Angkor, which was a unique Khmer belief S
prosperous empire that from the syncreticism T
thrived along the of indigenous animistic Y
northwestern provinces. beliefs and the Indian L
• The Angkor kingdom once religions of Buddhism E
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controlled most of the areas and Hinduism.

7. HISTORY C
A
• The golden age of • Cambodia's M
Cambodia was between unparalleled
the 9th and 14th B
achievements in
century, during the art, architecture, musi O
Angkor period, during c, and dance during D
which it was a powerful this period have had I
and prosperous empire a great influence on A
that flourished and many neighboring N
dominated almost all of kingdoms, namely
inland Southeast Asia. Thailand and Laos.
• Many temples from this • The effect of S
period however, like Angkorian culture can T
Bayon and Angkor Wat still be seen today in Y
still remain those countries, as L
today, scattered they share many E
throughout close characteristics 7

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Cambodian N
wedding
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Cambodian
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Festival
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9. RELIGIONS OF CAMBODIA C
• Historically, Buddhis A
m has been the M
dominant Religion in B
Cambodia, however O
before its introduction D
Hinduism also I
flourished.
A
• Roman Catholicism
was introduced by N
French missionaries
beginning in the S
eighteenth century. T
• Islam is practiced Y
among the Chams. L
• Among the Sino-
E
Khmer population 9

10. BUDDHISM IN CAMBODIA C
A
• Buddhism has existed in
Cambodia since at least M
the 5th century AD. B
• Theravada Buddhism O
has been the D
Cambodian state I
religion since the 13th
• In later history, a second A
century AD.
• The history of Buddhism stream of Buddhism N
in Cambodia spans entered Khmer culture
nearly 2000 during the Angkor S
years, across a number empire.
T
of successive kingdoms • For the first 1000 years of
Khmer history, Cambodia Y
and empires. L
• Buddhism entered was ruled by a series of
Hindu kings with an E
Cambodia through two 10
occasional Buddhist

11. HINDUISM IN CAMBODIA C
• Being the very oldest A
and the first religion to M
be followed in B
Cambodia, Hinduism O
was made the main D
religion of the Khmer I
Empire.
A
• Hinduism was one of
the Khmer Empire's N
official religions.
• Cambodia is the home S
to one of the only two T
temples dedicated to Y
Brahma in the world. L
• Angkor Wat Hindu
E
temple is the biggest 11

12. SYMBOLS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION C
• There is a general A
assumption that M
degrees of wealth B
can and should be O
publicly known. D
• Folk categorization
I
distinguishes
between the poor A
family's house of N
bamboo and
thatch, the more S
economically T
secure family's
Y
traditional wood
house on L
stilts, and the E
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14. SYMBOLISM C
• The most A
important cultural M
symbol is the B
ancient Khmer O
temple Angkor D
Wat, along with I
the ancient
A
Khmer Empire
and its N
monumental
antiquities. • Classical dance, also an S
• Pictures and bas- important national T
relief carvings of symbol, consciously tries in Y
the four-faced costume and gesture to L
tower of the recreate Angkorean bas-reliefs.
E
Bayon at Angkor 14

15. ARCHITECTURE OF CAMBODIA C
• Several religious and • The Khmer temple is a A
secular architectures brilliant example of M
witnessed its architecture, which is B
development in the confined on all ends by O
region of Cambodia the concentric series of D
during the ancient times. walls.
I
• During the period of • The central sanctuary is
Angkor, only temples the main attraction of the A
and other religious temple which is based in N
buildings were the middle.
constructed of stone. • The gallery is a S
Non-religious buildings passageway along the T
such as dwellings were enclosed wall with an
Y
constructed of opening to one or both
perishable materials sides. L
such as wood, and as • The temple is comprised E
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16. ARCHITECTURAL DECORATION C
• The MOTIFS OF • Most of the Cambodia A
APSARAS AND Architecture were fitted M
DEVATAS have always with blind doors and B
been an important windows which helped O
element as far in maintaining D
Architecture in Cambodia evenness in the
I
is concerned. entrance way.
• Several celestial dancing • The central sanctuary A
apsaras, heavenly is the place where the N
nymphs and female primary deity mainly
deities adorn the walls of resides. S
the ancient temples which • COLONETTES were T
seem to be a part of the widely used as an
Y
Indian mythological embellishment along
the doorways. L
figures.
• The dancing apsaras can • The Corbel arch is E
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20. • Angkor Wat is a temple • Prior to this time the C
complex at temple was known as A
Angkor, Cambodia, built by Preah Pisnulok (Vara M
the king Suryavarman II in Vishnuloka in B
the early 12th century as Sanskrit), after the O
his state temple and posthumous title of its
capital city. D
founder.
• The 12th century temple of • Constructed under the I
Angkor Wat is the direction of the Khmer A
masterpiece of king Suryavarman II, it N
Angkorian architecture- was to serve as the
first Hindu, dedicated to monarch's personal S
the god Vishnu, then mausoleum and as a
T
Buddhist. temple to the Hindu
• It is the world's largest god Vishnu. Y
religious building. • The temple is made of L
• Angkor Wat, means "City sandstone, and is E
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Temple"; Angkor is a intricately decorated

21. • Angkor Wat combines two • The temple preserves the C
basic plans of Khmer style of the Khmer A
temple architecture: the period, in the form of M
temple mountain and the towers that are shaped B
later galleried like lotus O
temple, based on early buds, cruciform
D
South Indian Hindu terraces and axial
architecture, with key galleries that connect I
features such as the enclosures. A
Jagati. • Unlike most Angkorian N
• It is designed to represent temples, Angkor Wat is
Mount Meru, home of the oriented to the west. S
devas in Hindu mythology: • Some believe that this
T
within a moat and an outer deviation from the usual
wall 3.6 kms long are orientation Y
of Khmer
three rectangular temples towards the L
galleries, each raised east, is because it is E
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above the next.

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23. SYMBOLISM C
• Spread over an area of • Based on Dravidian A
more than 200 architecture, it was M
hectares, the Angkor Wat designed as a B
was built using the two pyramid representing O
fundamental plans of the structure of the D
Khmer architecture: THE UNIVERSE.
I
TEMPLE MOUNTAIN AND • The highest level at
THE GALLERIED the center of the A
TEMPLE. temple represented N
• According to the Temple MOUNT MERU, the
Mountain plan, the temple home of the Hindu S
is depicted as Mount gods, with the five T
Meru, the abode of Hindu towers on the highest
Y
Gods. level representing the
• The wall and moat five peaks of the L
enclosing the mountain. E
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24. STRUCTURE C
OUTER STRUCTURE INNER STRUCTURE A
• The temple complex is • The inner structure M
enclosed within a 190 m contains the temple, that B
wide moat. stands on a raised O
• A stretch of 30 m wide terrace made of three D
open ground separates rectangular I
the moat from the 4.5 m galleries, rising to a
A
high outer wall that central tower.
surrounds the temple on • The three galleries are N
all four sides. believed by some to
• Entry to the temple represent Brahma - the S
complex is guarded by creator according to T
an impressive Hindu mythology, the Y
tower, which is on each moon and Vishnu the L
side of the outer wall, is Hindu god who is
E
known as the gopura. supposed to be the 24

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West Gallery. 2. East Gallery. 3. North Gallery. 4. South Gallery. 5 Cruciform
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Galleries. 6 Central Shrine. 7. View from West 8. North "Library”

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The inner sanctuary of Angkor Wat, seen from L
the east E
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30. • Grand mausoleum- • The main temple is built C
temple complex, the on three levels. A
Angkor Wat was not • The first level consists of M
just centers for ritual AN OPEN GALLERY, with B
performances and the inner wall continuously O
worship, but also covered with bas-relief
D
centers for displays of depicting scenes from the
wealth and Mahabharata & the I
magnificence that Ramayana. A
advertised and • A flight of stairs leads to the N
procured the king's second level WHICH IS
heavenly status LESS ORNATE. S
through the reliance on • A very steep stairway leads T
religious symbolism up to the TOP LEVEL
(the Hindu & Buddhist Y
WITH ITS CENTRAL
religions) that were SANCTUARY. L
then embedded into • Its unusual west-facing E
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the artwork and

31. SCULPTURE,RELIEFS & DECORATIONS C
• Reliefs such as these are A
neither decoration, mere M
visualizations of scriptural B
stories, nor are they even
O
just parts of the temple's
ritual processional 'system‘. D
• by depicting the glorification I
of both Vishnu and himself A
as one of Vishnu's N
transformations, they are
bringing to light S
Suryavarman's desire and
T
concern with establishing his
place in the cosmic scheme. Y
• Essentially, they are L
"politically interpretative E
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versions of mythology

32. APSARAS & DEVATAS OF ANGKOR C
WAT A
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33. C
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RELIEFS OF ANGKOR
WAT D
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34. SUBJECTS OF THE BAS-RELIEFS C
Among the monument's many bas- A
reliefs are: • Apsaras are M
• Depictions of Suryavarman seated beautiful, super B
on his throne, receiving natural female O
declarations of loyalty from his top beings.
D
officials. • They are
• He is shown progressing down a youthful and I
hillside atop an elegant, and A
elephant, accompanied by his superb in the art N
generals & the high priest. of dancing.
• Heavily-armed soldiers are shown • They are often S
protecting him and his court. the wives of the
T
• Depictions of war elephants were Gandharvas the
significant because they were both court musicians Y
an impressive and important of Indra. L
means of maintaining power on • They dance to E
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land--given their height which was the music made

35. COSMOLOGICAL SYMBOLISM C
• "Angkor Wat was a temple A
and mausoleum, as well M
as a giant astronomical B
observatory. O
• At the western entrance, the D
sun rises over the central
I
lotus tower on the day of the
spring equinox. A
• As the sun moves during N
the seasons, its rays
illuminate the bas-reliefs on S
the walls on the third T
gallery.
Y
• It shines on the creation in
summer, on a bloody battle L
in autumn, and then leaves The deity in the E
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The Churning of the A
Ocean N
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NAGA/SERPENTINE MOTIFS OF ANGKOR

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38. C
• THE BAYON is a well- • The Bayon's most A
known and richly distinctive feature is M
decorated Khmer the multitude of B
temple at Angkor in serene and massive
Cambodia. O
stone faces on the
• Built in the late 12th many towers which D
century or early 13th jut out from the upper I
century as the official terrace and cluster A
state temple of the around its central N
Mahayana Buddhist peak.
King Jayavarman • The temple is known
S
VII, the Bayon stands also for two
at the centre of impressive sets of T
Jayavarman's bas-reliefs, which Y
capital, Angkor Thom. present an unusual L
• Following combination of E
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Jayavarman's death, it mythological, histor

39. • BAYON TEMPLE is a • There are 51 smaller C
Buddhist temple but towers surrounding A
retains elements of Hindu Bayon, each with four M
cosmology and imagery. faces of its own. B
• Standing in the exact O
center of the walled city, it
D
represents the
intersection of heaven I
and earth. A
• It is known for its N
enigmatic smiling faces
of Avalokiteshvara and S
its extraordinary bas- T
reliefs.
Y
• Bayon is known for its
huge stone faces of the L
bodhisattva E
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40. C
BAYON TEMPLE - A
PLAN M
N B
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BAYON Y
TEMPLE - VIEW L
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41. C
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Outer
B
gallery
Central O
Tower/ Inner gallery D
Sanctuary I
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The Upper terrace L
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42. • The central sanctuary is • Above, the structure C
a huge mass, the dark of triple tower makes A
centre of which is the great faces of M
surrounded by a narrow Avalokiteçvara, castin B
corridor. g his benevolent gaze O
• It is a fine big statue of in all directions.
D
Buddha sitting on the • The doors have the
coils of Naga and in the appearance of pointed I
shelter of his head. bows, before they A
• The surrounding wall is were high rectangular N
opened up by five bays 7 meter by 3. 50
gates, 4 on the axis of meter strengthened S
the Bayon, the fifth is in with powerful leaves. T
the axis of Phimeanakas • The road which
and the second Angkor. Y
crosses the moat was
• These entrances are decorated with two L
splendid examples of imposing balustrades; E
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carving in the very spirit

43. • Bayon Temple is • The towers at the C
surrounded by two long Bayon, were enormous A
walls bearing an Lingas sculptured with M
extraordinary collection faces, sheltering those
B
of bas-relief scenes of worshipped in the shrines
legendary and inside. O
historical events. • This theory was based on D
• In all, there are total of the certain belief that the I
more than 11,000 carved Bayon was a Hindu A
figures over 1.2km of temple dedicated to N
wall which were Siva.
probably originally • But this theory had to be
painted and gilded. abandoned when the S
• The bas-reliefs on the pediment representing T
outer wall (160m x Lokeçvara was Y
140m) and on the inner discovered, which had L
gallery differ completely formerly been hidden by E
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and seem to belong to the central mass.

44. THE OUTER C
GALLERY
DEPICTIONS OF HISTORICAL EVENTS AND A
EVERYDAY LIFE M
• The outer wall of the • The subjects of the reliefs
outer gallery features a include: B
series of bas-reliefs • a naval battle between O
depicting historical Khmer and Cham forces; D
events and scenes • More scenes from civilian I
from the everyday life depicting a
A
life of the Angkorian market, open-air
Khmer. cooking, hunters, and N
• The bas-reliefs are women tending to
highly detailed and children; S
informative in • a marching Khmer army T
themselves. with Y
• The outer gallery musicians, horsemen, and L
encloses a courtyard officers mounted on
E
in which there are two elephants, followed by 44

45. C
• Unfinished reliefs show • A scene of royal
an army marching entertainment including A
through the forest, then athletes, jugglers and M
arguments and fighting acrobats, a procession B
between groups of of animals, ascetics O
Khmers; sitting in a forest, and D
• a scene depicting a more battles between I
combat between Khmer Khmer and Cham
A
warriors, then a scene in forces;
which warriors pursue • A land battle between N
others past a pool in Khmer and Cham
which an enormous fish forces, both of which S
swallows a small deer; are supported by T
• then a royal elephants: the Khmer Y
procession, with the king appear to be winning.
L
standing on an • a military procession
elephant, preceded by including both Khmers E
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46. THE INNER C
GALLERY
• The inner gallery is • The subjects of the A
raised above ground reliefs include: M
level and has doubled • Freeing of a goddess B
corners, with the original from inside a
O
re-dented cross-shape mountain.
later filled out to a • a king fighting a D
square. gigantic serpent with I
• .
• Its bas-reliefs, later his bare hands A
additions of Jayavarman • depictions of the N
VIII, are in stark contrast construction of a
to those of the outer. Vishnuite temple S
• The inner gallery are • The Churning of the
T
decorated for the most Sea of Milk
part with scenes from Y
Hindu mythology. L
• Some of the figures E
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depicted are

47. THE UPPER TERRACE - 200 FACES OF C
LOKESVARA A
• The inner gallery is nearly • In addition to the mass of
filled by the upper the central tower, smaller M
terrace, raised one level towers are located along B
higher again. the inner gallery (at the O
• The lack of space corners and D
between the inner gallery entrances), and on
I
and the upper terrace chapels on the upper
suggests that the upper terrace. A
terrace did not figure in • The faces of Lokesvara N
the original plan for the follow and dominate with
temple, but that it was their multiple presence in S
added later following a the whole of upper T
change in design. terrace.
Y
• Originally, it is • At one point, the temple
believed, the Bayon had was host to 49 such L
been designed as a towers; now only 37 E
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48. THE CENTRAL TOWER & SANCTUARY C
• Like the inner gallery, the A
central tower was originally M
cruciform but was later B
filled out and made O
circular. D
• It rises 43 m above the I
ground.
A
• At the time of the temple's
foundation, the principal N
religious image was a statue
of the Buddha, 3.6 m S
tall, located in the sanctuary T
at the heart of the central Y
tower.
L
• The statue depicted the
E
Buddha seated in 48

49. C
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Some of the towers of the Bayon showing faces of E
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50. C
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FACES OF AVALOKITESHVARA AT BAYON TEMPLEE
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51. C
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Reliefs of B
apsaras at O
Bayon
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Smiles of Y
Avalokiteshvara L
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52. C
A
Stone bas-relief at M
Bayon temple B
depicting the Khmer O
army at war with the D
Cham I
A
N
A scene from the
southern gallery S
depicts a naval battle; T
this section shows
Y
Cham warriors in a
boat and dead Khmer L
fighters in the water. E
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53. C
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Reliefs of battle B
scenes on
O
Bayon Temple
D
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A market S
scene in the T
southern Y
gallery shows
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the weighing
of goods; the E
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