The term classic period was first used for Mayan civilization and then it coined for 1000 years old Angkor city architectural magic.
Pre-Classic Period of Cambodia
Early Khmers lived in areas of Khorat Plateau (N.Thailand), Cambodia and in Mekong Delta-with large settlements, many of them circular, palisaded villages and towns, under authority of powerful chiefs. They used tillage to grow rice. They buried dead bodies rather than cremation. When people died they became ancestral spirits, to be propitiated. They had sorcerers and animal and human sacrifice was also given.
3rd century record– Called this land as Funan. There are walled villages, palaces and dwellings. The men are ugly and black, hair frizzy, they go about naked and barefoot. They are mostly farmers, their utensils are mostly silver and pay tax in gold, silver, pearls. They keep archives of books.
7th century record – The people of Funan (Chinese called Cambodia as Funan) are malicious and cunning. They take inhabitants of neighboring cities by force , don’t pay homage and make them slaves. The poor wear a piece of cloth and women pull the cloth over their head. They make gold ornaments and utensils of silver. The king lives in storied pavilion. They cut down trees to build houses and roof is trussed with coconut leaves. Their houses are well above ground and make boats of 60-80 feet long and 6-8 feet wide. When king goes out he rides on elephant and women (concubines) also ride elephants. Entertainment is cock and hog fight. They have sugarcane, oranges, pomegranates and many more fruits. They do not dig well but have common water reservoir. In case of mourning, they shave beard and head. They either bury, leave the body in open for birds, cremate in fire. Also they have multi-armed figurines. There is equality of sexes.
9th century record- As per Chinese records- Chinese called this region as Funan. When Funan king died in 550 AD then their vassal king of ‘Zhenla‘ overpowered the region of Cambodia, Khorat plateau (N. Thailand) and Mekong delta. The Chinese described it as militarily powerful country of about 30 cities.
The Chinese record describes the magnificence of Khmer king court –
Every 3rd day king goes solemnly to court audience -hall, sits on bed of sandalwood ornamented with seven kinds of precious stones. The walls are of ivory and flowers of gold. Above bed is wooden rich pavilion of cloths. A golden incense burner which two men hold is kept in front. King covers his head with bonnet laden with gold and stones and pendants of pearls. He wears sandals of leather and sometimes ivory. There are five great officers and few inferior officers around him. Those who appear before king touch the earth three times with forehead. The major towns excavated in this period are Angkor Borei, Sambor Prei Kuk, Banteay Prei Nokor, Wat Phu and Pakhon Chai.
Reference – Book Angkor and Khmer kingdom by Michael D. Coe
Classic Period of Cambodia
Empire Name – Khmer Empire
Period – 802 AD – 1431 AD
Founder – Jayavarman II
Origin – AD 100-802 (Funan) Covering south half of IndoChina
Prominent kings – Jayavarman II – 802 – 850, Jayavarman III 850 – 877 son, Indravarman I 877 – 889 son, Yasovarman I 889–910 CE son, Harshavarman I 910 – 923 son, Ishanavarman II 923 to 928 brother, Jayavarman IV maama 928 to 941, Jayavarman IV ruled from 928 to 941, Harshavarman II son 941 to 944 son, Rajendravarman II cousin 944 to 968, Suryavarman I 1006–1050, Udayadityavarman II from 1050 to 1066 A.D son, Harshavarman III brother 1066–1080, Jayavarman VI – Usurper came from Thailand, Suryavarman II 1113–1150, Jayavarman VII 1181–1218, Jayavarman VIII, Indravarman III 1295 – 1308 AD
Religion – Shaiv, Vishnav and Buddhism
Fall – It is still puzzle in want of historical documents. Invasion of Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya, conversion of the society to Theravada Buddhism, drought and over-population. increased maritime at cost of safety.
Monuments –
About 90% of monuments are in Siem Reap of Cambodia with very few in Northern Thailand and Southern Laos. Some important temples listed in photo below. But must visit temples are – Ta Prohm, Ta nei, Takeo, Preah Khan, Angkor Wat, Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup, East Mebon, Banteay Srei, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Angkor Thom, Beng Mealea temple, Rolous Group temples (Bakong, Preah Ko, Lolei, and Prei Monti temples) . These can be covered in 4 days along with Tonle Sap lake which was life line of Khmer.
The Khmer Empire was established by the early 9th century.
The empire was marked by enormous monumental architecture, extensive trade partnerships between India and China and the rest of the world, and an extensive road system. Most of all, the Khmer Empire is justifiably famous for its complex, vast, and innovative hydrologic system, water control built to take advantage of the monsoonal climate, and cope with the difficulties of living in a tropical rainforest.
Jayavarman II – 802 – 850 AD
He was founder of Khmer Empire, beginning of Classic age. The Khmer Empire was the dominant civilization in mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th century until the mid-15th century. Before Jayavarman II came to power, there was much fighting among local overlords who ruled different parts of Cambodia. According to some sources, Jayavarman II resided for some time in Java during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, and as such the concept of Devaraja or God King was ostensibly imported from Java. At that time, the Sailendra Dynasty allegedly ruled over Java, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and parts of Cambodia. Jayavarman II reunified of the old disintegrated kingdom of Zhenla into Khmer Empire. He built first capital of classical Khmer period as Hariharalaya (Rolus), 10 KM from Siem Reap. So he is said to be founder of Khmer Empire.
Jayavarman III 850 – 877 son
Indravarman I 877 – 889 nephew of Jayvarman II’s queen – He established norms of architecture of classical period which prevailed throughout classical age and even used in Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom later. He founded Rolous Group temples in Hariharalya. It is a group of mainly three temples Bakong, Preah Ko (Nandi bull) and Lolei temples. This is a popular tourist place today.
Yasovarman I 889–910 CE son (Also called Leper king)
Yasovarman was one of the great Angkorian kings. His greatest achievement was to move the capital from Hariharalaya (Rolus) to Angkor (other name Yashodharapura) where it remained there for 600 years. It was at this new capital where all of the great and famous religious monuments were built by later kings e.g. the Angkor Wat. There were many reasons for the move. The old capital Hariharalaya (Rolus) was crowded with temples built by the previous kings. Thus, the decision was religious. In order for a new king to prosper, he must build his own temple and when he died it must become his mausoleum. Second, the new capital was closer to the Siem Reap River and is halfway between the Kulen hills and the Tonle Sap. By moving the capital closer to the sources of water the king could reap many benefits provided by both rivers.
Yashodharapura (Angkor) was built on a low hill called Bakheng, and connected to Hariharalaya (Rolus) by a causeway. Simultaneously, he started to dig a huge reservoir at his new capital. This new artificial lake, the East Baray, with 7.5 by 1.8 km long. The re-embellishing of his ancestor’s Lolei temple, Phnom Bakheng and the East Baray are monuments are credit to this ruler.
Harshavarman I 910 – 923 son
Ishanavarman II 923 to 928 brother. He built temple called Prasat Kravan (cardamom sanctuary) dedicated to lord Vishnu.
Jayavarman IV maternal uncle 928 to 941 son of king Indravarman I’s daughter
Jayavarman IV 928 to 941
He ruled at Koh Ker now a tourist place, 120 KM from Siem Reap. Famous for its ancient ruins of 7 storied pyramid temple.
Harshavarman II son 941 to 944 Weak ruler
Rajendravarman II cousin 944 to 968.
He was mahayan Buddhist but tolerant to Hinduism. His principal monuments, located in the Angkor region of Cambodia’s Siem Reap province, are Pre Rup and East Mebon both dedicated to lord Shiva. Construction at Banteay Srei, the ornate temple of pink sandstone located north of the main Angkor complex, began during the king’s reign.
Jayavarman V son 968–1001
Even though Jayavarman V was Buddhist but tolerant to Shaivaite. Under his reign Buddhism flourished.
When Jayavarman V turned seventeen years old, he began the construction of Ta Kon temple, dedicated to lord Shiva, a 72 feet temple pyramid. However, an unfortunate event occurred as the edifice was hit by a thunder bolt during its construction. This was taken as an evil omen and the priests of the court performed a ritual to dispel the demons; afterward, stones and elephants were brought in to finish the job, but without success. The construction was left unfinished.
Suryavarman I 1006–1050
He was a Mahayana Buddhist who was also tolerant of the growing Theravada Buddhist presence in the Khmer kingdom. He established diplomatic relations with the Chola dynasty of south India around 1012. He sent a chariot as a present to the Chola Emperor Rajaraja Chola I. It seems that the Khmer king Suryavarman I requested aid from the powerful Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola against the Tambralinga kingdom. After learning of Suryavarman’s alliance with Rajendra Chola, the Tambralinga kingdom (in current Malayasia) requested aid from the Srivijaya king Sangrama Vijayatungavarman. That eventually led to the Chola Empire coming into conflict with the Srivijiya Empire. The war ended with a victory for the Chola dynasty and the Khmer Empire. It was major loss for the Sri Vijaya Empire and the Tambralinga kingdom.
Suryavarman I’s palace was situated in the vicinity of Angkor Thom, and he was the first Khmer ruler to protect his palace with a wall.
Suryavarman probably started construction at Preah Khan Kompong Svay and expanded Banteay Srei, Wat Ek Phnom (170 KM from Siem reap) and Phnom Chisor (350 KM from Siem reap). The major constructions by the king were the Prasat Preah Vihear (207 KM from Siem reap) dedicated to lord Shiva. Suryavarman also started the second Angkor reservoir, the West Baray, which is 8 km long and 2.1 km wide. It held more than 123 million liters of water. That is the largest Khmer reservoir to survive. There is some indication that Suryavarman sent a gift to Rajendra Chola I, the Chola Emperor, possibly to facilitate trade.
Udayadityavarman II from 1050 to 1066 A.D son
He built the famous Baphuon Temple in Angkor for lord Shiva, but some of the sculptures are dedicated to Buddha. He also completed the construction of the West Baray reservoir and built the West Mebon, a raised-earth island in the center. The famous attraction today, Sdok Kak Thom temple in Thailand was constructed during his reign. The temple source of many inscriptions about Khmer kings. The inscriptions are now part of the collection of the national museum in Bangkok.
Harshavarman III brother 1066–1080
Jayavarman VI – Usurper came from Thailand
He constructed famous Phimai temple in Thailand, dedicated to lord Buddha and is tourist attraction today.
Suryavarman II 1113–1150
He built Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, which he dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. His reign’s monumental architecture, numerous military campaigns and restoration of strong government have led historians to rank Suryavarman as one of the empire’s greatest kings.
The king’s reign saw great innovations in art and architecture and it is believed that the sudden change was due to the presence of Cholas. He presided over the construction of Angkor Wat, the largest temple ever built in the capital, and in many modern minds the ultimate masterpiece of Khmer architecture. Its five central towers evoke the peaks of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods. It was resplendent with more than 1,860 carved apsara, or heavenly nymphs, and hundreds of meters of elaborate bas-reliefs depicting the Hindu legends and scenes from contemporary life.
Other temples dating to his reign include Banteay Samre, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda, Wat Athvea and, east of the capital, the huge Beng Mealea complex. These are Hindu temples in Angkor.
Suryavarman II was the first Khmer king to be depicted in art. His image in Angkor wat is part of a unique and detailed portrait of court life in the Angkor period. He died in military campaign against Champa. A modern sculpture of this great king welcomes us at Siem Reap airport.
Jayavarman VII 1181–1218
After the Cham people of modern-day Vietnam sacked Angkor in 1177, King Jayavarman VII decided that the Hindu gods had failed him. When he built a new capital nearby, Angkor Thom, he dedicated it to Buddhism. Thereafter, Angkor Wat became a Buddhist shrine, and many of its carvings and statues of Hindu deities were replaced by Buddhist art.
He built a pair of temples in honor of his parents. Ta Prohm in honor of his mother and Preah Khan (few kilometers from Ta Prohm) in honor of his father. Finally, he constructed his own “temple-mountain” at Bayon and developed the city of Angkor Thom around it. He also built Neak Pean (“Coiled Serpent”), one of the smallest but most beautiful temples in the Angkor complex, a fountain with four surrounding ponds set on an island in that artificial lake.
In 1186, Jayavarman dedicated Ta Prohm (“Ancestor Brahma”) to his mother. An inscription indicates that this massive temple at one time had 80,000 people assigned to its upkeep, including 18 high priests and 615 female dancers.
Angkor Thom and Bayon city were founded. Angkor Thom was a new city Centre, called in its day Indrapattha. At the Centre of the new city stands one of his most massive achievements, the temple now called the Bayon, a multi-faceted, multi-towered temple that mixes Buddhist and Hindu iconography. Its outer walls have startling bas reliefs not only of warfare but the everyday life of the Khmer army and its followers. These reliefs show camp followers on the move with animals and oxcarts, hunters, women cooking, female traders selling to Chinese merchants, and celebrations of common foot soldiers. The reliefs also depict a naval battle on the great lake, the Tonle Sap.
Jayavarman VIII 1243 – 1295
Jayavarman VIII was a Shivaite and said to be against Buddhism. Many of the Buddhist images were destroyed by him, who re-established previously Hindu shrines that had been converted to Buddhism by his predecessor. Carvings of the Buddha at temples such as Preah Khan were destroyed, and during this period the Bayon Temple was made into a temple of Shiva, and cast the central 3.6 meter tall statue of the Buddha into the bottom of a nearby well. He also endowed a Hindu shrine Mangalartha in 1295, just before he was overthrown by his son-in-law Indravarman III (Srindravarman), a devout Buddhist and the kingdom reverted to Buddhism.
Indravarman III 1295 – 1308
He was a devout Buddhist and the kingdom reverted to Buddhism.
Epilogue
Cambodia is a jewel of South East Asia and its temple hold the place in Guinness World Records as the largest religious structure in the world. Quoted as eighth wonder of ancient world, Angkor was founded as capital of Khmer Empire in 802 AD by Jayavarman II. Classic period begins from here. Later kings expanded it with ornate and gigantic temples dedicated to Hindu Gods lord Shiva and Vishnu.
The entire city of Angkor used far greater amounts of stone than all the Egyptian pyramids combined and occupied an area significantly greater than modern-day Paris. Pyramids used to quarry the limestone just 0.5 KM away but this sandstones for building the city were brought from mount Kulen 40 KM far. The stones used in building the monuments of Angkor city is more than stones used in all pyramids combined.
There were about 2000 temples in Siem Reap area of Angkor city but now only about 200 are preserved. It is almost impossible to restore and maintain even these 200 temples as it requires huge finances.
The temples in Angkor are famous for its bas-reliefs, carvings, sculptures, water reservoirs (barayas), huge galleries.
2.5 million tourists visit Cambodia every year to visit the Angkor city. There are a lot of restoration works going on in Angkor and we hope this magnificent and wonderous will be carried forward for next hundreds of generations.
References – Book Angkor and Khmer kingdom by Michael D. Coe, display information boards at Angkor city sites in Cambodia, Wikipedia, guide of Cambodia and personal visit of sites.
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