Khmer artifacts 1-10 captions

1 This incredible section of bas-relief sculpture is a hallmark of Khmer art. In this scene we can see a massive calvary procession of elephants and chariots, an awesome display of military force. As opposed to the empires in the west which only used horses in battle, the armies of southern and south east Asia used hordes of elephants in warfare.

 2 Illustrated in this bas-relief with is the Hindu god Indra  . Here he is riding hid three headed elephant mont , together they are traversing an oceanic expanse. 

 

3 This Khmer statue represents a Buddhists figure called the

  Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The Buddhist embodiment of infinite light, but the style the figure is seated is characteristic of Hindu monarchs. This sculpture illiterates the cultural flowering produced by the  marriage of  Hinduism with the newly arrived Buddhists faith with in the Khmer empire.  Although both faiths originated from India and later spread to indo- china through commerce and missionary activities. 

4 This snapshot of a dance performance by tractional Khmer dancers represents the empires enduring cultural legacy in all of the arts. Performances like these were customary in the royal court, and in return the royal court would sponsor dancers.

5 This photo of Angkor Wat dazzling in the light of the morning sun is truly memorizing. Imagine the overwhelming emotion and spiritual a

6 Angkor Wat , is the single largest religious complex on the planet. It was forgotten for centuries , left to decay in the jungle and became nearly swallowed up by it. Thankfully though it has been restored and cared for over recent  decades to its former glory.

7 This gilded bronze statue represents the Hindu god Shiva; the god of destruction. Hinduism was not native to indo china, it originated thousands of years ago in northern India. Over the centuries this faith was gradually transmitted to east by a complex processes of migration, invasion, and commerce. Hinduism became established in south east Asia by around 500 A. D.  And gained many adherents with in ancient indo china. By the time the Khmer Empire emerged in the 8th century A.D. Hinduism was the primary faith of the region. The Khmer Empire quickly adopted the faith as there own and sponsored and supported in through there domain. 

8 This relatively small temple is only one of the numerous ounces that occupied the fast complex of Angkor Wat. The entire structure was meant to recreate Hindu spiritual cosmology in physical stone and brick. So that worshiper a could commune with the very essence of the universe while remaining on the earthly plan of existence. 

9These beautiful sculpted faces  from Angkor Wat are hallmarks of Khmer style. Khmer artists painstakingly constructed sites, were a massive volume of staked stone was arranged. This stone matrix was then carefully  carved away to produce the stunningly realistic faces, that embody Hindu deities.

            10 This sculpture depicts the serpent king Muchilinda protecting the Buddha Shakyamuni from heavy rains. This sculpture dates from the later part of the Khmer Empire where Buddhism had largely replaced Hinduism as the major faith practiced thought the Empire. This conversion was slow and peaceful and was accomplished mainly through missionaries from India.     

spiration a worshiper would have experienced as the stepped closer  to this monumental structure.