Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/468

 392 FURTHER INDIA. BOOK VIII. the country these Indians are reputed to have come from, and to how late a date that art continued to be practised in the north-west, we are no longer puzzled to understand the prevalence of classical details in this temple; but to work out the connection in all its variations is one of the most interesting problems that remain to exercise the ingenuity of future explorers. BAYON. The great temple of Bayon, within the city walls of Angkor Thorn, is supposed to have been founded by the first king of the dynasty, Jayavarman II., and consecrated by Ya^ovarman about 900 A.D. This temple belongs to the third class, where, in con- sequence of the height of the two great platforms on which it is built and of the central sanctuary, a pyramidal contour is given to the structure. It is regarded as the chef cPoeuvre of Cambodian architecture, not only on account of the splendour and vigour of its sculptured decorations, but for the magnificence of its plan (Woodcut No. 467). The principal difference between it and Angkor Vat is found in the second platform, and the great importance given to the sanctuary. Instead of having a third enclosure, the four angles of the second enclosure are filled with smaller courts, so as to leave sufficient space for the great entrance porches on the north, south and west sides, and for the entrance porch vestibule and two other halls pre- ceding the sanctuary on the east side. Supplementary porches and halls are placed on the diagonal lines, with a double peri- style enclosing the whole, which must have formed a group of exceptional magnificence. In consequence of the terrible ruin which pervades the whole structure, owing to the forest of trees which has invaded it, there is no general view of it to be obtained, and its appear- ance can only be gathered by imagining the effect of Angkor Vat with fifty towers instead of nine, the whole more richly and elaborately ornamented than even that temple ; to this must be added the increase of the pyramidal composition, owing to the closer grouping of all the towers and their decoration with the four great masks of Brahma on each face, masks which, in their fine modelling and expression, are only approached by the great Egyptian Sphinx. Woodcut No. 468, representing one of the inner towers about 50 ft. high, gives some idea of the still greater examples that over the sanctuary being calculated as 130 ft. high. Half way up the tower were eight projecting frontispieces, each carved with the head of Brahmcl and giving greater importance to the sanctuary tower. Bayon is the only temple, according to Delaporte, which has