Angkor Wat.doc

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Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat(Khmer: ) is the largest[1]Hindutemple complex in the world, situated atAngkor, Camodia, uilt ! King "ur!a#arman $$in the earl! 1%th centur! as his state temple

and capital cit!& As the est'preser#ed temple at the site, it is the onl! one to ha#e remained asigniicant religious centre since its oundation irst Hindu, dedicated to the god *ishnu, then

+uddhist& he temple is at the top o the high classical st!le oKhmerarchitecture& $t hasecome a s!mol o Camodia, appearing onits national lag,and it is the countr!-s prime

attraction or #isitors&

Angkor .at comines two asic plans o Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountainand

the later galleried temple, ased on earl! "outh $ndian Hindu architecture,with ke! eatures suchas the /agati& $t is designed to represent 0ount 0eru, home o the de#asin Hindu m!tholog!:

within a moatand an outer wall &2 kilometres (%&% mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each

raised ao#e the next& At the centre o the temple stands a 3uincunxo towers& 4nlike most

Angkorian temples, Angkor .at is oriented to the west5 scholars are di#ided as to thesigniicance o this& he temple is admired or the grandeur and harmon! o the architecture, its

extensi#eas'relies,and or the numerousde#atasadorning its walls&

he modern name, Angkor .at, means 6Cit! emple65Angkoris a #ernacular orm o the word

nokor(), which comes rom the "anskritword nagar()& Watis the Khmerorm o the7aliword 6#atthu6, meaning 6temple grounds6& 7rior to this time the temple was known asPreah

Pisnulok(*ara *ishnuloka in "anskrit), ater the posthumous title o its ounder&[%]

History

King "ur!a#arman $$, the uilder o Angkor .at

Angkor .at lies 8&8 kilometres (&9 mi) north o the modern town o "iem eap, and a short

distance south and slightl! east o the pre#ious capital, which was centred at +aphuon& $t is in anarea o Camodia where there is an important group o ancient structures& $t is the southernmost

o Angkor-s main sites&

he initial design and construction o the temple took place in the irst hal o the 1%th centur!,

during the reign o "ur!a#arman $$(ruled 111 c& 118;)&


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Khmer& hereater the empire was restored ! a new king, /a!a#arman *$$,who estalished a

new capital and state temple (Angkor homand the +a!onrespecti#el!) a ew kilometres to the

north&

$n the late 1th centur!, Angkor .at graduall! mo#ed rom Hindu tohera#ada +uddhistuse,

which continues to the present da!& Angkor .at is unusual among the Angkor temples in thatalthough it was somewhat neglected ater the 12th centur! it was ne#er completel! aandoned,

its preser#ation eing due in part to the act that its moat also pro#ided some protection rom

encroachment ! the >ungle&[9]

?ne o the irst .estern #isitors to the temple wasAnt@nio da 0adalena, a 7ortuguesemonkwho #isited in 182 and said that it 6is o such extraordinar! construction that it is not possile to

descrie it with a pen, particularl! since it is like no other uilding in the world& $t has towers and

decoration and all the reinements which the human genius can concei#e o&6

[8]

Howe#er, thetemple was popularised in the .est onl! in the mid'1Bth centur! on the pulication o Henri

0ouhot-s tra#el notes& he rench explorer wrote o it:

6?ne o these templesDa ri#al to that o"olomon, and erected ! some ancient 0ichelangeloD

might take an honourale place eside our most eautiul uildings& $t is grander than an!thinglet to us ! Ereeceor ome, and presents a sad contrast to the state o ararism in which the

nation is now plunged&6[2]

0ouhot, like other earl! .estern #isitors, ound it diicult to elie#e that the Khmers could

ha#e uilt the temple, and mistakenl! dated it to around the same era as ome& he true histor!

o Angkor .at was pieced together onl! rom st!listic and epigraphice#idence accumulatedduring the suse3uent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site&

here were no ordinar! dwellings or houses or other signs o settlement including cooking

utensils, weapons, or items o clothing usuall! ound at ancient sites& $nstead there is thee#idence o the monuments themsel#es&[=]

rench postcard aout Angkor .at in 1B11

Angkor .at re3uired considerale restoration in the %;th centur!, mainl! the remo#al o

accumulated earth and #egetation&[].ork was interrupted ! the ci#il war and Khmer ougecontrol o the countr! during the 1B=;s and 1B;s, ut relati#el! little damage was done during

this period other than the thet and destruction o mostl! post'Angkorian statues&[B]

he temple is a powerul s!mol o Camodia, and is a source o great national pride that has

actored into Camodia-s diplomatic relations with its neighour hailand, rance and the 4nited"tates& A depiction o Angkor .at has een a part o Camodian national lagssince the

introduction o the irst #ersion circa 12&[1;]rom a larger historical and e#en transcultural
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayavarman_VIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayavarman_VIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Thomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Thomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravadahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravadahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_da_Madalenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_da_Madalenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Mouhothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Mouhothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon's_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon's_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigraphyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-multiref1-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rougehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Cambodiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AfficheAngkorGroslier.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayavarman_VIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Thomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravadahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_da_Madalenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Mouhothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Mouhothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon's_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigraphyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-multiref1-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rougehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Cambodiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-9


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perspecti#e, howe#er, the temple o Angkor .at did not ecame a s!mol o national pride sui

generis ut had een inscried into a larger politico'cultural process o rench'colonial heritage

production in which the original temple site was presented in rench colonial and uni#ersalexhiitions in 7aris and 0arseille etween 1B and 1B=&[11]

he splendid artistic legac! o Angkor .at and other Khmer monuments in the Angkorregionled directl! to rance adopting Camodia as aprotectorateon 11 August 12 and in#ading

"iam to take control o the ruins& his 3uickl! led to Camodia reclaiming lands in thenorthwestern corner o the countr! that had een under "iamese (hai) control since 181 Auraho, Alex #ans, a stonemason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture

under 9 eet (1&% m), this took aout 2; da!s to car#e&[91]oger Hopkins and 0ark Lehner also

conducted experiments to 3uarr! limestone which took 1% 3uarr!men %% da!s to 3uarr! aout9;; tons o stone&[9%]he laour orce to 3uarr!, transport, car#e and install so much sandstone

must ha#e run into the thousands including man! highl! skilled artisans& he skills re3uired to

car#e these sculptures were de#eloped hundreds o !ears earlier, as demonstrated ! some

artiacts that ha#e een dated to the se#enth centur!, eore the Khmer came to power&[1B][9;]&&&

*iew o the moat surrounding Angkor .at

Angkor Wat today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-40http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-41http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Scarre_p._81-85-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Angkor_Wat_from_moat.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Angkor_Wat_from_moat.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-40http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-41http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Scarre_p._81-85-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-Southeast_Asia_1995_p._67-99-39


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.orld 0onuments und#ideo on conser#ation o Angkor .at

he Archaeological "ur#e! o $ndiacarried out restoration work on the temple etween 1B2 and

1BB%&[9]"ince the 1BB;s, Angkor .at has seen continued conser#ation eorts and a massi#e

increase in tourism& he temple is part o the Angkor.orld Heritage "ite,estalished in 1BB%,which has pro#ided some unding and has encouraged the Camodian go#ernment to protect the

site&[99]he Eerman Apsara Conser#ation 7ro>ect(EAC7) is working to protect the de#atasand

other as'relies which decorate the temple rom damage& he organisation-s sur#e! ound thataround %;N o the de#atas were in #er! poor condition, mainl! ecause o natural erosion and

deterioration o the stone ut in part also due to earlier restoration eorts&[98]?ther work in#ol#es

the repair o collapsed sections o the structure, and pre#ention o urther collapse: the westacade o the upper le#el, or example, has een uttressed ! scaolding since %;;%,[92]while a

/apanese team completed restoration o the north lirar! o the outer enclosure in %;;8&[9=].orld

0onuments undegan work on the Churning o the "ea o 0ilk Ealler! in %;;&

Angkor .at has ecome a ma>or tourist destination& $n %;;9 and %;;8, go#ernment iguressuggest that, respecti#el!, 821,;;; and 2==,;;; oreign #isitors arri#ed in "iem eap pro#ince,

approximatel! 8;N o all oreign tourists in Camodia or oth !ears&[9]he site has een

managed ! the pri#ate "?K$0Ogroup since 1BB;, which rented it rom the Camodiango#ernment& he inlux o tourists has so ar caused relati#el! little damage, other than some

graiti5 ropes and wooden steps ha#e een introduced to protect the as'relies and loors,

respecti#el!& ourism has also pro#ided some additional unds or maintenanceDas o %;;;

approximatel! %N o ticket re#enues across the wholeAngkorsite was spent on the templesDalthough most work is carried out ! oreign go#ernment'sponsored teams rather than ! the

Camodian authorities&[9B]

At the A"AFourism orum %;1%, oth parties ha#e agreed +oroudurand Angkor .at to

ecome sister sites and the pro#inces will ecome sister pro#inces& wo $ndonesian airlines areconsidering the opportunit! to open a direct light rom Mog!akarta,Central /a#a7ro#ince,

$ndonesiato "iem eap&[8;]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_Survey_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-42http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Apsara_Conservation_Projecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Cambodia#Apsaras_and_devatashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokimexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffitihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEANhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siem_Reaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siem_Reaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-49http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WMF_Angkor_Wat.ogvhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WMF_Angkor_Wat.ogvhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_Survey_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-42http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Apsara_Conservation_Projecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Cambodia#Apsaras_and_devatashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Monuments_Fundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokimexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffitihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEANhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakartahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siem_Reaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat#cite_note-49

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