|
Turn over the body |
|
Cambodia Highlight: |
-
Date:
Second half of the tenth century 961
-
Reign of
construction: Rajendravarman II (Çivaloka) 944-967
-
Cult:
Hinduism dedicated to the Çiva
-
Clearance
work: H. Marchal and G. Trouvé 1930-1935
-
Art
Style: Pre Rup
|
 |
|
Pre Rup |
This term refers to a
method of incineration which consisted of tracing the outline of the body of
the dead person in the cinders, then doing it the other way round which is
called "Turning the body".
The outer enclosure wall is
127m by 116m; the central terrace forms a square of about 30m each side and
about 15m high; 5 towers standing in quincunx. The principal decoration of
the 5 towers consisted of their coating in plaster.
Two images of women with
four arms and one, of whom has four faces and the other a sows head; they
are the wives of Brahma and Viçnu, the latter in the guise of wild boar.
 |
|
Pre Rup tower |
The lower tiers are in
laterite 46m at the bottom, 6m high and there are 12 brick towers. In front
of the principal staircase, there is a tank (vat) which was considered by
Cambodian people to be the tank in which the legendary personage was
cremated; it is a corner stone which must have been topped with rounded
pyramid, but it is doubtless made of precious metal and now nothing remains.
Around the pyramid,
there are two levels, each surrounded by a laterite hall: 120m by103
A stele which dates 961;
this temple was formerly surrounded by moats and had a large entrance on the
other side of the new road. the king installed Linga Rajendra Bhadreçvara in
the central sanctuary. And Linga Rajendravarmeçvara in the north-eastern
tower to dedicate to his ancestors.
Some dignitaries also built
some temples:
-
946 A.D Kavindra
Rimthon - architect, built Prasat Bat Chum dedicated to Buddhist
Malayana, especially for Bodhisatva Vjrabahi and Prajnaparmita
-
967 Raja Guru
Yajnavaraha - Brahman priest built Tribhuvana Maheçvara (Banteay Srei)
dedicated to the God Çiva.
|
