khmer empireconcept:era medieval

Devata bas-relief panels, Angkor Wat

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Sandstone bas-relief panels depicting devata (divine female attendants/guardian spirits) at Angkor Wat temple complex, c. 1113–1150 CE, Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Anonymous Khmer workshop. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Scholarly Significance

Anchor the Khmer classical art cluster with the Devata bas-relief panels at Angkor Wat, representing the highest achievement of Khmer sculpture.

Notes

·Angkor Wat was built under King Suryavarman II (r. 1113–1150 CE) as a state temple dedicated to Vishnu.
·The devata (divine females) are distinct from apsaras (celestial dancers): devata are standing guardian figures; apsaras appear in narrative relief panels.
·Approximately 1,800 devata figures are carved across the temple's inner galleries; each is individualized in pose, costume, and headdress.
·The sandstone bas-relief programme also includes monumental narrative panels depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, the Battle of Lanka, and the Battle of Kurukshetra.
·Constructed of sandstone quarried at Phnom Kulen, approximately 25–35 km from Angkor.
·In situ: Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and continues to function as an active Buddhist temple.