Page:Angkor from Siamese pov - Damrong - 1925.pdf/5

 the World's monuments in existence. It is, moreover, the best preserved of Khmer monuments. Angkor Wat was built in the later period of Khmer civilisation, about the 12th century A.D. From an architectural point of view, it cannot be said that the builders of this group of sanctuaries invented anything new; on the other hand you can see there adaptations from various other older monuments. And yet Angkor Wat is extremely imposing. The style, even though an adaptation, is magnified in proportion and the whole produces a splendid effect.

Of Buddhist sanctuaries there exist several considerable monuments, but none as yet so well cleared and restored as Bayon and Angkor Wat. I was able to see one of fine workmanship, which, whatever its original name was, is now known as Ta Prohm, which you can see yourself on the accompanying picture (Plate IV).

Although these monuments were built for different religions, some Buddhist, some Hindu, yet in examining their decorative art it is quite impossible to distinguish between them. It must have been more difficult to evolve themes of decoration from purely Buddhist traditions, there being no such great epics as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana which lend themselves so splendidly for such purposes. Some of you who have been been to see old Siamese book-cases in the National Library here will no doubt recollect that their decorations are mostly inspired by the Ramayana. One is inclined, therefore, to surmise that the ancient Khmer must have felt the same influence of Hindu traditions, which moreover went beyond religious realms proper, in that they were also utilised for the decoration of secular constructions, such as the stone bridge over the moat of Angkor Thom, which represents the story of the Puranic churning of the ocean (Plate V).

This kind of bridge, which has been found crossing the moat in five places, is very fine and imposing, There are also some others, as entrances into monasteries, but of course modified in size.

There is another very fine sight, which originally must have been called the "Mānasa Lake" (สระอโนดาด), but is now known as "Neak Pean", because there are two big stone serpents (Nāga) around an island in the middle of the lake.