Phnom Penh National Museum

Baphuon style (1010-1080)

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Figure27. Laksmi

Trapeang Totung Thngay temple, Siem Reap

H: 100 cm

Ka. 1580 B. 761 B. 32, 9

Moved from the Conservation d’Angkor to the museum on 31 January 1948

The goddess is shown standing and making the danamudra with her right hand, a gesture that symbolizes donation. She wears a pleated skirt whose back reaches up to the waist, while the front is tied be3low the navel. The sampot is harmoniously tied at the front in a style similar to that of the Pre-Angkorian era, with only a small fold hanging over. But it is narrower at the bottom than sampots were in the previous style.

It must garment is set off by a belt decorated with hanging pendants. The finely carved belt is decorated with rosettes and lined by two rows of pearls.

Lastly, her hair is braided and piled at the top of her head in a domed chignon that is tied with a garland at its base.

Her slender waist, round and firm breasts set close together, slender fingers, and her eyes set with precious stones that have since been lost, capture a Khmer beauty bursting with life.

Figure28. Laksmi

Bei temple, Koh Ker, Preah Vihear

H: 114 cm

Ka. 1670 B. 803 B. 71, 9

Moved from the Conservation d’Angkor to the museum on 19 April 1952

The mukuta in the shape of a truncated cone provides information for the dating of the Baphuon standing statue.

The large fold of the sampot at the waist is reminiscent of previous style, but the bottom of lengthwise fold is shaped as a fish tail.

As a consequence, we may assume that Baphuon style deities are represented wearing two different style of sampot, the first style worn by the Trapeang Totung Thngay deity (Ka. 1580) and the second one shown here (Ka. 1670).

Figure29. Laksmi

Western Mebon temple, Angkor, Siem Reap

H: 159 cm

Ka. 1672 B. 826 B. 32, 11

This sculpture has two unique features; the wavy eyebrows and full upper lip, and the conical shape of the mukuta. The first one is a classic example of Baphuon style, while the second is typical of the Angkor Vat style. This deity can therefore be dated from the late Baphuon style or early Angkor Vat style.

Laksmi’s legs and feet are large and heavy and totally unrealistic. This technique will be used again for some Bayon style sculptures.

Figure30. Adorned Laksmi

H: 133 cm

Ka. 785 B. 313 B. 32, 6

Acquired by the museum on 18 September 1931

This goddess is characterized by a large square face, dimpled chin, wavy eyebrows and folds beneath her breast. She wears a lotus bud-shaped mukuta and a wide diadem. Her round necklace is finely decorated and her loose belt is merely worn as an accessory.

We must consider additional examples to better understand the various elements of dress and decoration that characterize the Baphuon style female deities.

Figure31. Body of female deity

Unknown origin

H: 88 cm

Ka. 2999

The jewelry worn by the goddess catches the eye. She wears a long necklace that reaches down to the top of her breasts and bangles on her upper arms. These jewels are decorated with rosettes.

In the middle of the sampot, the cloth is folded in front and the rest of the fold reappears in the shape of a shell. It may be worn as shown here or folded up.

Figure32. Body of female deity

Unknown origin

H: 57 cm

Ka. 2393

In spite of the mutilated appearance of this piece, the wide flat belt is still visible, worn loosely on the hips as a decorative element. The breasts and the stomach are lightly carved.

Figure33. Female deity

Unknown origin

H: 90 cm

Ka. 877

Her hairstyle is typical of the Baphuon style; her round narrow chignon is held at the base with a garland of pearls.

Figure34. Body of female deity

Unknown origin

H: 58 cm

Ka. 32 B. 474 B. 712, 4

The lower end of the lengthwise fold of the sampot is shaped as a fish tail. Sampots from the Angkor Vat style will retain this style.

Banteay Srei style

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Figure24. Female deity

Unknown origin

H:57 cm

Ka. 800

It is always difficult to distinguish between Banteay Srei and Pre Rup style deities wearing the mukuta. The deities are almost the same size and the decorative details are similar. However, the mukuta can provide some information; while it is sculpted in a conical shape in the Pre Rup style, it looks like a truncated cone in the Banteay Srei style and is decorated with a curling braid and a garland of large pearls(?) at its base. This fashion will remain in subsequent style.

Figure25. Female deity

Unknown origin

H: 67 cm

Ka. 681

The third eye one her forehead indicates that this deity is probably Sarasvati, Brahma's sakti. It is almost identical to the previous statue (Ka. 800), which leads us to assume the existence of a school from which these two sculptures come.

The museum's restoration team worked at length on this small piece to remove a first layer of paint, under which were found two more layers of paint, one layer of gilt and a layer of lacquer.

The Khmer's traditionally use gilding to confer a sacred meaning to an object.

Figure26. Umamahesvara

Banteay Srei temple, Siem Reap. First western Gopura

H: 60 cm

Ka. 1797 B. 24 B. 43, 1

This small ensemble shows the inseparable couple, Uma and Siva. Uma’s head was most likely stolen in 1970.

The gods wear folded sampots and similar mukuta with identical decorative details. Their diadems are decorated with several rows of serrated designs (kbach kanh chaing), pearls (kbach pong trei), rosettes (kbach phka chan) and stylized lotus petals (kbach trabak chhouk bambek).

Siva is seared with his right knee up, in the so-called ‘Javanese’ position, and holds a stylized trident in his right hand.

Pre Rup style (947-965)

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Figure22. Body of the female deity

Neang Khmao temple, Northern sanctuary, Tonle Bati, Takeo

H: 108 cm

Ka. 1653 B. 195 B. 422, 1

Acquired by the museum on 1 June 1923

The beauty of this torso lies in its beautiful shine, which has been caused by popular belief; people touched the torso in the hope of being blessed.

The way of wearing and draping the sampot is identical to that of the previous style. So are the beauty folds under the breasts.

However, the fold of the sampot is narrower compared to the Koh Ker style and pleats are heavier. The garment is most likely held by a belt that plays a more practical role than in the past.

Figure23. Female deity

Unknown origin

H: 84 cm

Ka. 709

This piece shows a two-armed goddess wearing a mukuta. The mukuta is divided in two sections, the diadem and the chignon cover. The diadem is finely decorated and the conical chignon cover is decorated along four rows. The mukuta worn here is almost identical to that worn by Varuna (Ka. 1579) riding the four hamsa (sacred ganders).

Her smiling expression, straight eyebrows that are continuous and long earlobes give this slender and light-breasted goddess a charming personality.

Most Pre Rup style deities are petite and their hair is always finely decorated.

Koh Ker style (912-945)

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Figure20. Body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conservation d’Angkor

H: 122cm

Ka. 2987 DCA: 1551

The museum owns only a few female deities from this period. The artistic style of the period is characterized by movement and the colossal appearance of the sculptures.

Massive deities are built with large solid feet to keep their balance. The feet are never sculpted in a realistic manner.

This deity wears a ‘sampot bat’ identical to that worn by goddess Ka.2985 from the Bakheng style. However, the folded edge of the cloth is longer and is as wide as the stomach.

Figure21. Body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conversation d’Angkor

H: 59 cm

Ka. 2959 DCA: 5561

Koh Ker sculptors favor large, wide piece of cloth that hang over the hips.

The flaring movement and the cloth tied at the waist make this Durga’s sampot rather realistic. The fold at the hips indicates how the sampot is held.

The main characteristics of the piece are the shape of the sampot and the frontal and hieratic position.

Bakheng style (893-925)

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Before the items from the Angkor Conservation were transferred to the Royal Palace, the Phnom Penh Museum did not own any example of female deity from the Bakheng style.

Figure19. Body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conservation d’Angkor

H: 115 cm

Ka. 2985 DCA:3338

In spite of its badly poor condition, this piece is interesting as an example of Bakheng style art.

The style of the sampot worn by the goddess is called ‘sampot bat’, folded sampot. It is tied with a belt adorned with rosettes and pendants and the triangle fold from the Preah Ko style has disappeared; the fold at the front spreads from one hip to the other.

In must be noted that from this style onwards, all the deities wear pleated sampots.

Preah Ko style (875-893)

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Figure13. Rajendradevi or Gauri

Western sanctuary, southern side, Lolei temple, Roluos, Siem Reap

H: 150 cm

Ka. 1645 B. 289 B. 42, 4

Acquired by the museum in October 1920

The Khmer language inscription carved on the pier of one of Lolei temple’s sanctuaries tells us that King Yasovarman erected statues of Siva and his wife as representations of his maternal grandparents.

The sculpture of Siva’s wife located in the western sanctuary is commonly called Rajendradevi. But according to another inscription, written in Sanskrit, this deity is Siva’s wife Gauri, goddess of beauty.

Some researchers have suggested it might be a 12^th copy of Queen Rajendradevi. The artist copied the original 9^th century-style of the body and followed 12^th century fashion for the hairstyle. Indeed, the diadem and the chignon cover are similar to 12^th century designs.

The cylindrical chignon cover is adorned with trabak chhouk, or lotus petals, in five concentric and decreasing circles. The diadem is divided into three sections. Ium ang chhouk (lotus stamen) designs decorate the lower section. In thecenter are phka chan rosettes and haft-rosettes positioned inside lozenges and haft-lozenges. The upper section is decorated with stylized lotus petals called trabak chhouk bambek.

The face shows combed hair on the side of the forehead, sharp eyebrows that are continuous, a thin nose, a short chin and long ear lobes. This is a balanced beauty; the folds of her neck and below her round breasts are sings of good health.

Rajendradevi wears a classical Preah Ko style sampot, worn folded over the stomach and the triangular fold over the left hip. The sampot is draped below the navel to show the soft, rounded beauty of the stomach.

The artists used large parallel strokes to show the lengthwise fold, the folded edge and the triangular fold. Women’s sampot at the time were either straight or pleated.

This statue of Rajendradevi shows that after her death, the queen was considered to be a Brahmanic goddess under the reign of Yasovarman.

Figure14. Headless body of Durga

Bakong temple, Roluos, Siem Reap

H: 10 cm

Ka. 1803 B. 327 B. 712

Acquired by the museum on 6 October 1931

This Durga retains part of her two left arms. She is dressed in the same style as Rajendradevi.

The surface is badly damaged by the flaking of the stone.

Figure15. Headless body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conservation d’Angkor

H: 92 cm

Ka. 2986 DCA:3555

This deity’s body shows the healthy robustness of Khmer women.

The sampot is flat and flared at the bottom. The sampot is folded at the waist in a flat band.

Figure16. Laksmi

Unknown origin

H: 48 cm

Ka. 802 cm

This elegant deity is standing in the middle of a male and female who are kneeling in an attitude of prayer. The praying figures are positioned symmetrically on each side of the deity’s body median axis. Both join their hands above their head.

Even in the absence of identifying attributes, we can assume this deity with the broken arms is Laksmi, as she is standing on top of a plinth decorated in stylized lotus designs. Laksmi’s name is ‘Padma’, which means lotus. She is the goddess of beauty and fortune.

Her pleated sampot shows the same details and draping style as that of other goddesses from the Preah Ko style.

Figure17. Torso of ffemale deity

Unknown orgin. Property of the Conversation

d’Angkor

H: 43 cm

Ka. 2972 DCA: 39890

From this torso, we can deduct the standing position, slightly bent at the hip, of the sculpture. Even though it is badly damaged, the beauty of this torso remains obvious; the rounded breasts, set close together, form a central line and the folds beneath the breasts are visible. The elements have been carved in a realistic style.

Te waist of the sampot is still visible. It looks like a belt, even a scarf, flat and smooth.

Figure18. Four-arm body of Durga

Bos Preah Nan, Kampong Speu

H: 59 cm

Ka. 1652 B. 71 B.712, 4

This is the second Preah Ko style example of a pleated sampot and is similar to other goddesses but it is worth noting the appearance of a flat and smooth section of cloth on the left side of the garment.

The sampot worn and tied with a belt became more common in subsequent styles.

Angkorian period

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Angkorian art starts under the reign of Jayavarman II (early 9^th century) and ends under the reign of Jayavarman VII (first half of the 13^th century).

This era is marked by the assertion of a truly Khmer art form, which manifests itself through a personalized style that rejects all foreign influences.

Thus, the Brahmanic and Mahayana Buddhism characters, which are shown from the front and in a hieratic attitude, display an indigenous personality through their typically Khmer smile, softness and featyres.

We already emphasized that works of art reflect the artist’ thinking, but that they are also portrait-statues that express an ideal, beauty and serenity.

All these achievements reveal the richness of the diadems’ ornaments, the jewels and the exquisite embroideries of the sampot, which are no doubt Khmer. They also present the art of inlaying precious stones for the necklaces, earrings and the eyes of the statues to make them seem alive.

Kampong Preah style (706-800)

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This art form reflects a dark period in the history of Cambodia caused by the dislocation of Tchen-la into two kingdoms.

The style of Kampong Preah is similar to that of Prei Khmeng, although an increasing number of statues are carved in a plainer fashion, in particular the folded edge of the sampot and the lengthwise fold.

Figure11. Durga(?)

Unknown origin

H: 141 cm

Ka. 318

The presence of the supporting arch, evidence of which can be seen in the marks at the back of the head, and the two-armed shoulders indicate that this deity is Durga.

The almond-eyes, sharp curved eyebrows, breasts, folds beneath the breasts, slender hips and, lastly the cylindrical mitre are characteristics of a classic Kampong Preah style sculpture.

The simplified fold and pleats of the garment show great elegance.

The face expresses natural beauty, with its curved upper lip and dimple in the chin. On her forehead, that the statue has probably already been consecrated.

Figure12. Female deity

Prasat Thleay, Takeo

H: 78 cm

Ka. 869

This sculpture is made of blackish sandstone and is missing both its arms.

Light strokes are used to outline the edge of the sampot folded on her stomach and the lengthwise fold of the cloth. The hair bun, in the shape of an ox hump, is adorned with flower garlands held by pendants. The round dot on her forehead likely holds the same significance as the sig on the front of the previous Durga.

While simplifying his design, the artist was able to show the natural beauty of the nipples underlined with a full are of a circle, and that of the folds of the stomach and the neck.

Prei Khmeng style (635-700)

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Figure4. Durga

Tuol Kamnap, Krasaing Char, Ponhea Lieng, Kampong Trabek, Prey Veng

H: 97 cm

Ka. 1631 B. 819 B. 42, 7

Acquired by the museum on 22 April 1953

All works of art, whether they are made of stone or bronze, are almost always simplified and stylized. The item of clothing worn by this Durga (Ka. 1631) shows pleats between the legs, suggested by softly carved strokes and lines radiating from the knot.

The presence of the four arms, the upper one holding a conch, proves that it is a statue of a Durga.

Standing stop a plinth featuring a buffalo head, the deity is slightly bent on one hip. She displays many signs of her beauty: slender hips, breasts close together, which each nipple represented by two concentric circles, folds under her breasts and three folds under her neck. She has a long face that shows intelligence and strength, rounded cheeks, slightly prominent eyes, perfect arch of the eyebrows and long earlobes.

Here, the artist has dressed her in the old-fashioned flared sampot but he has shortened the length by sculpting a large fold at the waist. This approach mirrors real-life fashion.

Here, Durga has retained two elements common to the Prei Khmeng style, the cylindrical mukuta and the sampot folded below the knot.

This piece was donated by the abbot of Sirei Sakor pagoda (Kampong Trabek district, Prey Veng province).

Figure5. Durga

Bos Preah Nan, Choeung Prei district, Kampong Cham

H: 84 cm

Ka. 1772 B. 23 B. 42, 1

Acquired by the museum on 1 January 1920

The overall appearance of this statue is similar to that of Durga Ka. 1631. In spite of missing fragments (the left breast, the nose and both feet), the statue is still beautiful. Her beauty shows in the movement of the hips, the slight bending of her left leg and the folds under her breasts. She wears a sampot draped above the navel, which, contrary to previous deities, the beauty of her stomach.

Her clothing is sculpted in a very realistic manner; the lengthwise fold is worn slightly higher than the lower hem of the sampot and the back of her left leg does not touch the skirt.

Figure6. Durga

Unknown origin

H: 95 cm

Ka. 1621 B.99 B. 42, 2

Acquired by the museum on 1 January 1920

The buffalo head on the front of the plinth and a shoulder with two arms prove that this is a sculpture of the goddess Durga.

The demon-buffalo has two long horns that seem to be positioned under the deity’s feet. The plinth shows traces of the ends of the arch that used to support the arms. The sampot is carved very simply; the lengthwise fold and the fold at the waist are shown in light strokes.

Figure7. Durga

Tonlorp village, Khum Skus, Samrong Tang district, Kampong Speu

H: 88.5 cm

Ka. 2927

Acquired by the museum on 6 February 2002

The two attributes, the dagger in the upper right hand and the shield in the upper left hand, are the weapons given to Durga by the gods. The goddess is standing on a buffalo’s head carved on the front side of the plinth.

Here, the beauty of the subject is symbolized by a smiling expression, fingers slender as orange tree thorns (a popular Khmer comparison), curved eyebrows and the matching harmonious movement of the two upper arms.

The sampot worn above the navel, the light strokes of the lengthwise fold and the radiating upper knot give great quality to this work of art.

Figure8. Durga

Samlanh village, Tani, Kampot

H: 75 cm

Ka. 1632 B. 316 B. 42, 5

In the Pre-Angkorian era, the horseshoe arch is used to support the many arms of the representations of Visnu, Durga and Harihara.

The attributes held by this Durga are a conch, a disc and a club, of which only the base remains, and most likely, a ball in the lower right hand, which has now been lost. These attributes are identical to those of Visnu.

The goddess wears a sampot draped above her navel and the scarf is merely an ornament.

Figure9. Body of a headless female deity

Takeo province

H: 60 cm

Ka. 2382

What is remarkable here is the simplification of the lengthwise fold and the belt.

The goddess’ beauty lies in her slightly round stomach, set off by a sampot wom below the navel and turned up at the back.

Figure10. Siva carrying Uma

Prey Veng province

H: 20 cm

Ga. 5293 E. 802 E

Acquired by the museum in September 1934

Siva sits in the Indian position known as ‘Pen Phnen’ on Nandin lying on a plinth. This attitude is not as in real-life.

Uma is sitting in a European fashion on Siva’s left lap and clasps him around the waist.

The crescent moon on the front of the chignon and the long necklace on the left shoulder are the signs of Siva.

Uma wears a full-length sampot and like her husband, her hair is in a triangular-shaped chignon.

This piece indicates that throughout the ages, Uma is always represented alongside Siva.

Sambor Prei Kuk style (600-650)

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Figure1. Durga Mahisasuramardini

Samnor Prei Kuk, Located approximately 30km from the city of Kampong Thom, is an ancient capital city where the king commissioned the construction of numerous brick temples, classified into three groups, the northern, central and southern groups.

This sculpture of Durga is broken into three parts. The two upper fragments were found in the same location, close to sanctuary N1, northern group. About fifty years later, the lower fragment was discovered inside sanctuary N9, in the same group.

After studying the front side of the badly-damaged plinth, which most certainly represents a buffalo head, and the tip of the left shoulders, which shows the beginning of two arms, it is generally admitted that this is a statue of Durga.

In spite of the missing head and arms, this magnificent piece, characterized by a suppleness of the body, a slightly round stomach and harmonious proportions, is typical of the Sanbor Prei Kuk style.

She wears a full-length sampot that falls down to her ankles; it is tied to the front in radiating pleats and the long flat tail falls between the legs while the lower pleats of the skirt flare softly. This shape makes walking easy.

The cloth is draped below the navel, revealing the beauty of the stomach; it is transparent enough to suggest the shape of the left leg. This way of sculpting the stone is already used for the Buddha from the Phnom Da period. Indeed, the luminous body of the Enlightened must show through the monastic robe.

We know Durga as a fierce goddess, the one who defeated the Asura Mahisa. Here, the Khmer sculptor chose to show the extraordinary beauty of a woman with a supple, wide-hipped and luminous body; he is not attempting to express the deity’s fierceness.

Figyre2. Devi.

As stated, the Preah Neang Devi is the wives of gods, Bodhisattva and kings. Thus, they cannot be depicted in their extreme youth.

When there are no specific elements available to identify a goddess or another, the generic term Devi is used to refer to sculptures of female deities.

The local style used, free from Indian influence, means this Devi belongs to the Sambor Prei Kuk style (7^th century). She is facing forward, in a hieratic posture and her features are typical of Khmer women: a benevolent expression, round breasts and round stomach.

Her hair is done up in a bun shaped as an ox hump, an additional element of beauty. Her sampot is tied with a belt and the clasp is finely adorned; her powerful body is hinted at through the cloth.

The various features of Khmer aestheticism that characterize this Devi suggest that she might be Laksmi, the goddess of beauty and fortune.

The statues of Devi and Durga show that during the Sambor Prei Kuk period, art reached as great a level of perfection as during the Norkor Phnom period.

Figure3. Durga

A four-arm female deity or a deity standing atop a plinth featuring a buffalo head can be none other than Durga. This small sculpture is therefore a representation of the goddess.

In the style of Sambor Prei Kuk, some Visnu (Ka. 1598 from Kampong Cham Kao, Ka. 1610) and the Preah Neang Devi wear full-length sampot tied in the front on the hip. A scarf is worn at the waist to complement the sampot. The scarves, ‘krama’ in Khmer, are strips of cloth that are used either in a practical way (belt) or as ornaments.

The Durga shown here wears a scarf draped low on her hips, from which hangs a heavy bell(?) on the left, unless the bell is held in the left hand.

Rural men have continued wearing a scarf round their waist to this day.

This piece captures the light of the body, which shows through the garment that seems tight-fitted but is actually tied at the waist and flared at the bottom.

Her hair is tied in a very high chignon, an indication that several hairstyles were in fashion at the time.

Pre-Angkorian period

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Art forms from the Nokor Phbom (Fu-nan) and Tchen-la eras are Pre-Angkorian art. For greater ease of study, they are listed by styles. Thus, when referring to the Nokor Phnom era, one talks about the Phnom Da style and when referring to the Tchen-la era, about the Sambor Prei Kuk, Prei Khmeng and Kampong Preah styles.

Some art historians have identified an additional style from the Tchen-la era, the Prasat Andet style. But Jean Boisselier rejects it, as there is only one sculpture from this period, a Harihara (Ka. 1635) from the eponymous temple in Kampong Thom province.

It is generally accepted that National Museum, Phnom Penh does not own any female deities from the Phnom Da style, but that it owns several representations of Visnu from the same style. However, Jean Boisselier notes that, “we have only one female deity, Durga (Ka. 892), from the Phnom Da style”. The museum displays only two major pieces from the Sambor Prei Kuk style, a Durga (Ka.1583) and a Devi (Ka. 1621). After comparing the Dyrga (Ka. 892) that J. Boisselier studied with these two female deities, we recommend that its dating be amended and that it be listed as a Sambor Prei Kuk style work of art.

The Prei Khmeng and Kmpong Preah styles yield a number of representations of the Durga, which are rather similar to one another. They have in common the cylindrical mukuta and the folding of the sampot on the stomach.

The evolution of the Preah Neang Deví

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Under the combined influence of Brahmanism and Buddism, Khmer art became a religious art that focuses essentially on two mediums, architecture and statuary.

To better understand the evolution of the Preah Neang Devi, it is necessary to study them in both these fields.

Jean Boisselier demonstrated that, ‘Khmer architectural design evolved along different lines than Indian conception’. The same goes for the statuary. Khmer artists did not slavishly imitate Indian art, but rather they developed their own art form based on their own sensibility, language and canons of beauty.

A number of works from this exhibit have already been displayed abroad, in Australia, France, the USA and Japan; the other works exhibited have been taken out of the storerooms for the first time.

The objects have been listed by style. However, there are no female statues from the Phnom Da and Kuken styles.

Some of the female deities, such as Queen Rajendradevi and the kneeling Prajnaparamita, presented some slight damages on their faces. They were restored to their original appearance to maintain their status as queens.

The Preah Neang Devi is listed into two categories, the adorned ones and the ones that are not. The adorned Preah Neang Devi wears necklaces, bracelets, bangles and anklets and wears a mukuta on their head.

During the Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian eras, the image of Preah Neang Devi wear full-length sampots (skirts), while the male deities were the ‘sampot changkhbin’, a rectangular piece of cloth that covers the lower part of the body, from the hips down. The sampot is tied at the front and the cloth is then rolled and slid between the legs before it is attached at the back.

There are some exceptions. In the style of Sambor Prei Kuk, Vsnu wear a full-length sampot and the Vat Ang Khna lintel male characters from the Prei Khmeng style wear short clothes.

All the sculptures of female deities are bare-breasted. It is likely that, beyond the fashion requirements, the artists wanted to show the beauty of the breasts, the folds underneath the breasts, the stomach and the navel.

STUDY ON THE PREAH NEANG DEVÍ

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As stated earlier, the Preag Neang Deví are representations of the female ancestors, in the form of goddesses embodied in portrait-statues and, at the same time, works of art.

These two notions form the beasis of our study on the evolution and the value of the Preah Neang Deví sculptures.

The essence of the Preah Neang Deví statue

The plurality of the Indian Brahmanism and Buddhism figures can be found also in ancient Cambodia’s religious history. However, they diverge in terms of religious practice as the ancient Khmers viewed their ancestors as supreme gods.

The Khmers, who fully mastered the Sanskrit language – as evidenced by the inscriptions found on steles, piers, small columns and even objects-expressed this divergence through the production of portrait-statues.

If, forgetting their previous role, we consider the Preah Neang Deví only as goddesses and if we reduce them to simple museum pieces – something they never were in the past since they were the owners of temples, which in turn were considered to be the gods’ palaces – we alter their role and their function.

Some temples, made of brick or stone, were built at the top of mountains; others are large sides. All took many years to decorate. The temples are dedicated to the ancestors’ spirits, represented by statues of the deities. Religious architecture therefore complements these statues.

Temple building becomes a respected tradition, which the kings use to express their gratitude to their ancestors.

We know that the temples are surrounded by moats; Angkor Vat, Banteay Kdei and Bakong are some of the finest examples. The moats no only mark the boundary of the sacred space, they are also a main source of water for local residents and an aquatic environment where fish, shrimps, frogs, eels, turtles and many other species thrive and a natural habitat for aquatic plants such as water – lilies, bindweeds and many more. The moats are essential both to the daily lives of the people and, as a sacred place, to protect the natural environment.

Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian era inscriptions teach us that a great many servants were appointed to care for the temples, each being assigned a specific task; there are cloth weaves, palm leaf weavers, dancers and ‘vina’ players. The temple is viewed as a small community serving religion and society.

Such activity reflects temple life and the monumental statue placed inside the building is considered to be a living state closely connected to its environment and the inhabitants. We can therefore assume that the Preah Neang Deví, under the appearance of goddesses and as representations of the ancestors, are important contributing factors to social development and the safeguarding of cultural properties.

The Preah Neang Deví as the guardian deity of the house

2012-05-30T19:25:00.002-07:00

The role of the Preah Neang Deví as guardian of the house is almost identical to the role of the Preah Neang Deví protector of the country. But the role of the former does not extend beyond the scope of inhabited places.

We know that the god and the goddess have no physical from, no ‘rúpa’. In some instances, they are represented by deified object.

Ang Choulean wrote that, “the guardian of the house, in Khmer ‘mnán phdah’, is a supernatural being that plays a rather minor role. It is associated with purity, cleanliness and domestic tidiness”.

Present-day Khmers honors two deities, ‘Preah Phúm’, the guardian of the land, and ‘Mneang Phteah’ or ‘Neak Chumneang Phteah’, the guardian of the house, who grants prosperity and worldly possessions. In both cases, the deities are not symbolized by any objects.

We know that Visnu’s wife has two names, Bhúdeví – from the Sanskrit word ‘Bhú’, which means land – symbolizes the guardian of the land (of the house), and Laksmí the goddess of fortyne and prosperity.

Thus we can conclude that the ‘Preah Phúm’ and ‘Neak Chumneang Phteah’ honored by the Khmers are merely incarnations of Visnu’s wife and they played a similar role. At the same time, there are the female equivalents of Visnu, the god of conservation.

In therefore possible to say that:

- - Preah Phúm is Bhúdeví, who is also Laksmí, the latter being Neak Chumneang Phteah

- - Bhúdeví and Laksmí are the same goddess and Visnu’s wife, but they also are the goddesses that embody the women’s ancestors.

Conclusions

Given the way the role of the Preah Neang Deví as representations of the gods’ or the kings’ wives is interpreted the statues have three key meanings.

1- They are works of art representing the gods’ or the Bodhisattvas’ saktí, used to illustrate religion and literature. They are simply the embodiment of the goddesses.

2- They represent the ancestors’, queens’ or other female characters’ souls. The respect paid to the statues of the gods is not respect for the gods themselves, but rather shows respect expressed towards the ancestors, who are considered to be gods.

The kings’ architectural legacy explains this further. They built magnificent temples; some decorated with precious metals and considered to be archaeological treasures, which they dedicated to their ancestors’ spirit to express their gratitude for their heroic feats. Khmer people pursue this tradition until today, by building ‘caitya’ where they place their parents’, grandparents’ or masters’ relics.

3- The Preah Neang Deví represents our ancestors’ spirits who are also, in the invisible world, the guardians of the Cambodian land and the providers of prosperity. As such, the Preah Neang Deví may e represented by any object, as well as by the absence of objects. The way each Deví is represented is left to the decision of the worshipper.

The Preah Neang Deví as a protector

2012-05-29T20:45:00.002-07:00

Brahmanism and Buddhism have been neglected for too long and some Cambodians do not have the knowledge necessary to identify the sculptures that represent characters from these two religions. As a consequence, the statue of Siva carrying Umá is called Neak ta Por Kon, which means ‘Neak ta holding his child’; the statue of Siva riding the Nahdin bull has become Neak ta Chis Ko, which means ‘Neak ta riding an ox’.

The Blank Lady, one of the museum’s female sculptures (Ka. 1653) found in Neang Khmao temple Takeo province, is commonly called ‘Neang Khmao’.

The study of this statue, which is headless and has no arms, revealed that it is a Brahmanic deity, and most likely Visnu’s wife Laksmí, since a sculpture of Kalkin, one of Visnu’s incarnations, was found in the same place.

In Phnom Chisor temple, built under the reign of Suryavarman I, an adorned Buddha can be found, called Neang Khmao by local residents.

In Ba Phnom district, Prey Veng province, there is a Neak ta called ‘Mesar’. According to research studies, the word ‘Mesar’ is probably derived from ‘Mesvara’, one of Siva’s names when in the past, a king erected a linga on this mountain.

These examples show common mistakes made by local residents where the sculptures have been found.

Thus,

- Siva is Neak ta; Siva being the god

- Buddha is Neang Khmao, who is also Kálí, Siva’s wife.

For the latter, local residents mistook the adorned Buddha for a female deity and thought it was Sica’s wife.

If the statue of the Blank Lady (Ka. 1653) is a Brahmanic deity, as evidenced by the statue of Kalkin, and If the adorned Buddha is compared to the Blank Lady, we may conclude that present-day Khmers respect all the characters in the Brahmanic and Buddhist religions and designate them under a single unique name, ‘Neak ta’.

The word ‘Neak ta’ is also linked to the word Machas Srok, which means ‘Lord of the Village’ and refers to the guardian of the village in the invisible world.

Under the reign of Jayavarman VII, the states of Brahmanic and Buddhist deities also represent the kings and the queens, who are both the country’s heroes and protectors.

The word Neak ta designates the elements that represent the ancestors’ souls or the ancestors themselves. The ancestors were previously the country’s protectors; they are therefore considered to be powerful and ambivalent beings.

As for the Preah Neang Deví, they may be compared to the Neak ta. In that case, they are representations of the ancestors’ wives. But the ancestors being Neak ta, they symbolize the Neak ta’s wives or the country’s protectors.

Such an interpretation reminds of the existing syncretism between Brahmanism and Buddhism in modern Khmer society, but there are no works of art in the museum’s collections to support and illustrate this.

Evidence of this syncretism can be found in a Brahmanic temple such as Phnom Chisor where Buddhist ceremonies are held, as well as in religious ceremonies when the Khmers, as have become a tradition that present-day Khmers, as they have always done, invoke the Brahmanic gods.

It is likely that Brahmanic beliefs dare back to ancient times and that they have become a tradition that present-day Khmers still honor.

The Preah Neang Deví as a symbol of fidelity

2012-05-28T19:35:00.002-07:00

In the Khmer version of the Rámáyana, the Reamkerti, Ráma is one of the incarnations of Visnu. His wife Sitá is therefore the incarnation of Laksmí. She remains faithful to Ráma by refusing Rávana.

In this instance, the Sitá Preah Neang Deví is the symbol of fidelity.

The Preah Neang Deví as a benefactress

2012-05-28T19:34:00.002-07:00

Inscription K. 485 tells us that Queen Jayarajadeví distributed a large share of her wealth to the poor. And, as in art she is represented in the likeness of the Prájnápáramitá (Ka. 1724), it may be assumed that this queen was a benefactress.

In the Vessantara Játaka, Madrí, Vessantara’s wife, like her husband, gives generous alms; she gives her property, her children and herself to the Jújaka benefactress.

The Preah Neang Deví as the representative of the ancestors

2012-05-28T19:32:00.003-07:00

With the development of religious worship, the ancient Khmers modeled the overall vision of Braahmanism and Buddhism to their own sensibilities, and replaced the major gods with their ancestors. There is clear evidence of this shift in the statues of deities built under the reign of Jayavarman VII, when they were designed to look like him or his wife, such as the statues of the kneeling Prajnaparamita and those of the king himself.

Phimean Akas temple inscription K. 485, written by Indradeví, provides further insight into this practice, ‘Jayarájadeví, an intelligent women, erected everywhere statues of her mother, her father, her brother, her friends, her forebears and relatives that she knew or had heard of’ (stanza XCIII). There is mention of Indradeví herself in stanza XCVI, ‘[…] Thus, while erecting numerous images of Srí Jayarájadeví along with images of herself and the king, in every city, […]’.

However, it is difficult to maintain and to accept that all the images of the Preah Neang Deví are simply the representations of the wives of the kings, as no documentation to that effect has survived to this day. In addition, some curators have moved statues from the temples to totally unsuitable locations, a situation that has caused serious research issues.

Based on inscription K. 485, it is reasonable to think that the kneeling Prájnaápáramitá is a likeness of Jayarájadeví. This tends to prove that the ancient Khmers likened their ancestors but also their contemporaries to the gods.

Thus, the role of the statue of the kneeling Prajnápáramitá is twofold; it is considered to be an object for adoration, the Prájnápáramitá, while at the same time it is also the person being worshipped, Queen Jayarájadeví.

Individual worship indicates that at the time of the empire, the Khmers relied on the two great religions to feed their own sensibility, which meant paying their respects to the souls of their ancestors who were Cambodia’s kings and queens in particular. This is the source of the ‘cult of bhakti’, or cult of fidelity to their ancestors in ancient Khmer society.

The practice of this cult has definitely led the Khmer to think about the patriotism of their ancestors, who were the true protectors of the country rather than the gods.

The Preah Neang Deví as a representation of cosmic forces

2012-05-28T19:28:00.001-07:00

The representations of Siva’s wives, Durgá or Umá, Visnu’s wife, Laksmí , and Lokesvara’s wife, Prajnaparamitá, are merlu their embodiments. Their attributes make them easily identifiable. As the wives of the gods, the goddesses also symbolize nature.

We already kwon that Durgá killed the Asura Mahisa. In this episode, Durgá symbolizes the power of nature; she is born of the coming together of the gods’powers, while the Asura symbolizes all that exists in nature. But, all that exists in nature must be destroyed by the power of nature, symbolized by the god or the goddess.

Some documents present the god as a representation of the cosmos. As such, Durgá therefor represents the cosmic forces.

THE ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PREAH NEANG DEVI

2012-05-27T19:07:00.003-07:00

We know that a Preah Neang Deví can be the god’s sakti, his equivalent, or even his female energy. This energy is the very essence of the god, which represents all that exists in nature: inanimate objects, human beings and animals.

We must give credit to the Indian philosopher Isvarakrsna for studying the Samkhyá-which means theory or analytical thinking - on the existence of things, human beings and animals. Taken as a whole, these notions have given rise to the two principles of Prakrti and Purusa.

The Prakrti is like a body that provokes a reaction, a sort of catalyst that acts as a creative power. The Prakrti possesses three qualities, sattva, rajas and tamas. It is considered to be pure and natural, which means not altered. It is classified in the ‘woman and female’ category, and in identified with the earth.

The Purusa is the spirit, the inactive principle that cannot create. The union of the spirit and the Prakrti causes life and pain. It is classified in the ‘man and male category’, and is considered to be the sunlight.

Based on this reasoning, it appears that all life forms (human beings, animals and all living things in nature) come from the combination of these two types of matter. When the earth and the sunlight come into contact and unite, they create life, which is idealized in the form of deities. All that exists in nature – water, earth, fire, wind, human beings, and animals come from the union of male and female. Thus, these two opposing principles are united.

This indicate that a god is both the Prakrti and the Purusa, but the Prakrti is the god;s sakti and the Purusa is the god itself. The Prakrti and the Purusa are ambivalent and, as such, they express the concepts of ‘good-bad’, ‘construction-destruction’, or ‘saviour-punisher’. As a result, the god’s sakti and the god itself are equally powerful. They are both evil and virtuous.

With this in mind, it becomes possible to study the role and duties of the Preah Neang Deví.

The Preah Neang Deví according to inscription K.485 found on Phimean Akas temple

2012-05-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ancient Cambodia’s Indian cultural heritage does not only comprise religious art; but also includes the art of writing.

The writings found on stones, which the Khmers call inscriptions or ‘stone writing’, were written in Sanskrit or ancient Khmer and are an undisputed source and undeniable source of information when studying Cambodian religion and history.

Generally, Sanskrit inscriptions are verses introduced by invocations to the gods and praises to the kings; the inscriptions in ancient Khmer are written in prose and refer to social and religious events.

Among these inscriptions, the one found at Phimean Akas temple (K. 485) is of particular significance in the study of the Preah Neang Deví.

The inscription is written in Sanskrit on a four-sided boundary stone; fifty-two lines are written on three sides and forty-four lines on the fourth side. It was broken into 70 pieces that Henri Marchal, the then curator of Angkor Conservation, pieced back together to re-assenble before presentin it to the Albert Sarraut Museum.

Geogre Coedes states that the inscription was written under the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1218). The author is Indradeví (stanza CII) whose name is identified, for the first time, in stanza XCV.

The inscription begins with invocations to the gods and praises to King Jayavarman VII. It mentions the king leaving for Vijaya, the former capital of Champa, present-day Binh Dinh in Vietnam, and relates Champa’s acts of aggression towards Cambodia.

This important inscription on Cambodia history provides additional insight into the Preah Neang Deví.

We learn that Jayavarman VII’s first wife was called Jayarájadeví and that she was Indradeví’s younger sister. When her husband left the country, she submitted to asceticism and practiced strict Brahmanist and Buddhist rituals to bring the king success and protect him from danger (stanza LXIV).

Queen Jayarájadeví was a beautiful and kind woman. Stanza XCIII tells of her achievements, in particular the erection of statues that represented members of her family, mainly her parents and grandparents, and her friends. We also know that she contributed to the purchase of materials for the construction of temples throughout the country (stanza CXXI).

Stanza CXXIX tells how she takes in, and brings up as her own daughters, destitute young girls abandoned by their mothers, in the village of Dharmakíti that is yet ‘known for its moral principles and full of happiness and prosperity’.

Young Queen Jayarájadeví dies before her husband’s coronation. After her death, the king marries her older sister, Indradeví.

Stanza XCIX tells us that Queen Indradeví is considered to be the incarnation of Sarasvatí, Indra’s sakti. Her grace, her intelligence and her knowledge will lead her to become head professor and, at the same time, master of the wives grouped together in several convents.

Indradeví is a generous practicing Buddhist. Like her sister Jayarájadeví, she distributes property to the people and enhances religious thinking.

Stanza XCVI also mentions Indradeví’s commissioning and production of numerous sculptures of Jayarájadeví and the king, to honour and display them throughout the empire.

Some important inscribed steles, including the one bearing inscription K. 485 were moved to the Conservation d’Angkor, most likely in 1970.

The Preah Neang Deví in literature

2012-05-24T01:54:00.003-07:00

The museum’s collections illustrate two main epics in Khmer literature, the Reamkerti and the Vessantara játaka.

Among the ten játaka, only the Vessantara játaka describes the Bldhisttva Vessantara giving alms. One must remember that the Bodhisattva’s wife is his female energy, which manifests itself through physical beauty and morals. Thus, a handsome appearance creates beauty. In Brahnaism, Laksmi is the goddess of beauty.

In the Vessantara játaka, Queen Mahámáyádeví, wife of Suddhodana, Buddha’s father, is granted ten favors by the god Indra, but only five of them relate to physical beauty:

Beautiful eyes with eyebrows curved as a bow
A flat stomach during pregnancy
Firm breasts
The absence of white hair
Smooth (and golden) skin

Khmer society admires women, who boast the physical beauty, or pancavidh kalyáni, that include the teeth, the lips, the skin and the hair, to which it adds ‘a beautiful life’. The lady in the Buddhist tale of the Visákhá is endowed with these five qualities of physical beauty.

Similarly to the conception of the canons of beauty, a code of conduct for the wives of the Bodhisattva appears in Khmer literature. Thus, in the Rámáyana, Sitá remains faithful to Rámawhen she rejects Rávana’s proposal. In the Vessantara játaka, Madrí gives her possessions and herself to the beggars. And in the Mahosatha játaka, Amará, Bodhisattva Mahosatha’s wife, is as intelligent as her husband.

Under the reign of Jayavarman VII, some Játaka are illustrated on the lintels and the pediments of the Ta Prohm and Bayon temples but also at the Ta Prohm of Bati, in Takeo province.

Bas-reliefs of Preah Neang Deví

2012-05-23T04:07:00.001-07:00

Bodhisattva – before he became Buddha – and Ráma are incarnations of Visnu. Thus, Bodhisattva’s and Ráma’s sakti are incarnations of Visnu’s wife. Before he reached the state of enlightenment, when he was still Bodhisattva, Buddha had accomplished the ten perfections, the Dasá játaka, symbolized by the ten previous lives of the Blessed:

Relinquishment of passion and progression to a religious state, in the Temiya játaka
Diligence, in the Mahájanaka játaka
Charity, in the Suvannasáma játaka
Determination, in the Nemirája játaka
Intelligence, in the Mahosatha jáaka
Moral standards, in the Bhúrdatta játaka
Patience, in the Canda Kumára játaka
Impartiality, in the Nárada Brahma játaka
Truth, in the Vidhúrapandita játaka
Self-sacrifice, in the Vessabtara játaka

The museum owns a frieze (Ka. 1701) that depicts Vessantara and his wife Madrí (Metri in Khmer) giving alms. A lintel (Ka.1832) tells the story of Ráma and his brother Laksmana chasing Sitá and Hanumán carrying Sitá.

Frieze, Vessantara játaka (Ka. 1701)

Lintel (Ka. 1832)

Detail of the secondary medallions on Lintel (Ka. 1832)

Buddhist section

2012-05-22T04:10:00.001-07:00

In Hínayána Buddhism, Buddha is the Supreme Being. Following the example of the Brahmanic and Buddhist gods, he is not married. But he had a wife and child when he was still a Bodhisattva.

It was earlier mentioned that during the Bayon period, artists sculpted a number of Buddha and Lokesvara in the likeness of Jayavarman VII (Ka.1730) and represented his wife Jayarájadeví in the appearance of both a Brahmanic deity such as Laksmí (Ka. 1698?) and a Buddhist divinity such as Prájnápáramitá (Ka.1724).

This tends to prove that King Jayavarman VII was considered to be Buddha or Lokesvara and his wife, Laksmí or Prájápáramitá, these two great religions’major deities.

Two Buddhist boundary stones found in Banteay Meanchey province, - Caitya(?)-[Ka.1734], and which belong to the museum and are identical to the ones at the Musee nationa des arts asiatiques Guimet (Ma.17487), are carved with a representation of Vajrin, Vajrasattva’s saktí and Prájnápáramitá, Lokesvara’s saktí.

Buddhist boundary post (Ka.1735)

Buddhist boundary post (Ka.1734)

There are a great number of bronze and sandstone statues of Prájnápáramitá and Laksmí dated from the Angkorian era and the reign of Jayavarman VII, in particular. Whereas the bronze Prájanápáramitá are usually adorned the sandstone ones are not.

It may be assumed that the standing Prájnáramitá is a representation of Queen Jaharájadeví, as we have found the two halbes of a sculptre at the Conservation d’ Angkor (no.1340 for the body, no.416 for the head) that resembles the museum’s kneeling Prájnápáramitá and an identical one owned by the Mesee national des arts asiatiques Guimet (MG,18043).

Brahmanic section

2012-05-17T05:25:00.001-07:00

During the Angkorian era, Brahmanism played a key role in the history of Cambodia. Some kings worshipped Siva as their supreme god while showing respect for the other Brahmanic and Buddhist gods.

a). Siva’s wife

The Preah Ko and Bakheng periods yield numerous examples of female sculptures of Durga, such as the one from Bakong temple (Ka. 1803); similarly, the museum’s collections contain representations of the goddess designed in the styles of subsequent periods.

Uma, Siva’s wife, is sculpted in the round or on bas-reliefs. The sculptures in the round always show her accompanied by Siva; they may be both seated on the bull Nandin, as per this bronze example (Ga. 5293) or Uma may be seated on her husband’s lap, as per a sandstone sculpture from the Umamahesvara, in the style of the Banteay Srei period (Ka. 1797).

The sculpted bas-reliefs of Uma are positioned on the lower part of the inscription steles, always accompanied by her husband (Ka. 1777), (Ka. 1823) (Ka. 554). Bas-reliefs of the two gods may also appear on a lintel (Ka. 2581), whose central design shows Siva and Uma mounting the Nandin bull or a linga (Ka. 1687); the divine couple may also be featured on the bull Nandin, Siva holding his trident in one hand and his wife in the other. This example of a boundary stone (Ka. 1751) displays a similar theme.

Stele (Ka. 1777)

Stele (Ka. 1823)

Detail of figures (Photo 29)

Stele with inscription (Ka. 554)

Detail of Stele with inscription (Ka. 554)

Detail of central motif

Lintel (Ka. 2581)

The scenes portraying Umá and Durgá are essentially used to adorn temples. A pediment from Preah Pithou sanctuary (13^th century) shows a scene in which Siva agrees to take Umá as his wife (no. MG.18912); this pediment is now in the Musee national des arts asiatiques Guimet, Paris.

The Phnom Penh museum owns another triad in which the male deity is believed to be Siva(?) surrounded by his two wives, each holding one of his hands. This triad is called Umágangápatisvara.

It must be noted that in Khmer art, the goddess Gangá does not symbolize her namesake river as in India, but is merely the goddess of water.

Linga (Ka. 1687)

Boundary (Ka. 1751)

b). Visnu’s wife

The gods’ sakti are the expressions or female energies of the gods themselves; the god then becomes the sakti’s wife.

As an attribute, the lotus serves to identify Laksmí (Srí), goddess of beauty and fortune. The museum owns a large number of statues of Laksmí from the Baphuon, Angkor Vat and Bayon styles. Unfortunately, these statues are missing their attribute. However, it is possible to identify the sculptures of the Laksmí, as they are accompanied by statues of Visnu. They are made of bronze or sandstone. The bronze Ga.5455 Laksmí is adorned and holds two lotus buds in its hands, as does the sandstone sculpture Ka. 1698.

Brahmanic triad

In the absence of identifying signs and attribute, we may assume this triad to be a representation of Siva standing between Visnu and his sakti.

Lintel Ka.3118 depicts a scene in which Visnu is reclining on Ananta, or Sesa nága andis accompanied by Laksmí massaging his feet. This scene clearly shows the tenderness felt by the goddess for her husband.

Lintel (Ka. 3118)

The Kok temple (Siem Reap, 12^th-13^th century) Brahmanic boundary stone (Ka.1766), decorated with a scene divided into three sections, shows the forest on the upper section, Visnu’s wives, Laksmí and Bhúdeví.

These two goddesses appear again, holding a lotus flower, on an 11^th century lintel (Ka.1820) from Chi Kreng temple, Kampong Thom province.

Under the reign of Jayavarman VII and in spite of the prevalence of Maháyána Buddhism, Nrahmanic sculptures have been found, such as a Laksmí (Ka.1698) that likely represents Queen Jayarájadeví standing.

We can link this work of art to a kneeling Buddhist statue, Prájnápáramitá, which, according to the inscription carved by Indradeví at the Phimean Akas temple, is a representation of the same queen who was Jayavarman VII’s first wife.

Boundary post (Ka.1766)

Lintel (Ka.1820)

Jayavarman VII (Ka.1703)