Wednesday 12 April 2017

Tapestry Reliefs at Angkor Wat

The Tapestry Reliefs of Angkor Wat
 
by Vittorio Roveda
(@copyright text and pictures)
Introduction
In 2002 I was exploring the tapestry walls of Angkor Wat. I had my trusted Nikon 100 and was taking numerous photos mostly with flash. I spent so many hours shooting flash in the inner and dark corners of the temple that a guard stopped me. I had to phone Dr. Kerya Chau Sun, a director of APSARA and a great supporter of researchers, who kindly gave me permission to continue. Unfortunately most of the photographs were out of focus. To compound things even more, I ended up loosing the few that were readable during my transfer to Bangkok. I only have pictures of the large tapestry from the elephant door guard-chamber which is well lit and easy to photograph (see here Fig.18-22 that I took in 2002-2005). To my great fortune, there is the paper written on tapestry reliefs by George Coedès in 1913 (BEFEO, 13, 1913, Vol.1: 1-5) that is still unsurpassed for its content, supplemented by an EFEO map and 9 illustrations. He used an old technique (ink squeezed rubbing) commonly used for ancient inscriptions, where by he placed damp paper on the wall and then gently tampered it into the incision with a soft brush. This is followed by ink being patted onto the raised surfaces. In this way the raised part becomes black and the incision remains white. Without the genius and knowledge of the great master George Coedès this paper would not have been possible. Coedès also coined the name ‘décor en tapisserie’ in French that corresponds to tapestry decoration; it may also be translated as wallpaper.

 
Overview
The tapestry reliefs of Angkor Wat may seem of little individual significance, but together, en masse, they add to the importance and beauty of the Vishnu temple. For a long time overlooked as merely decorative, they actually contain narrative elements. Clearly they are not comparable to the stunning large-scale narrative reliefs such as those of the 3rd enclosure’s galleries or of the Western Corner Pavilions. The latter are the basis from which we define the religious-mythological elements of the sacredness of Angkor Wat. Nonetheless tapestry reliefs provide an additional narrative element and so are contributors to the sacred discourse of Angkor Wat. Finally, it is interesting to note that this type of tapestry relief is unique in the arts of Southeast Asia making it significant cultural and artistic contribution.

Tapestry reliefs
Reliefs of this kind are shallow carved on the walls of some edifices of Angkor Wat, revealing humor and artistic finesse. The Angkor Wat tapestries are composed of medallions ranging in diameter from 12-20cm, interlaced with each other to compose a characteristic pattern simulating a tapestry. Each medallion contains a single image that often serves as reference to a specific figure belonging to a myth or legend. The Khmers designed and executed a rich sculptural ornamentation covering architectural elements and walls like a wallpaper or tapestry to give a more divine look to the temple.

The themes
There is considerable variety in the themes represented in the medallions of the reliefs. The following subjects are the most commonly found: a man with a spear or a bow running after an animal; an un-armed man running; a crowned man holding his sword or axe; or more identifiable figures of Vishnu, Krishna, Rama and Lakshmana, Brahma, Indra and Airavata.
Also depicted are rishis and cowherds, the latter sometimes close to their animals. Horses, lions, deer, foxes, mongooses, rabbits, boars, squirrels, rats, dogs, birds (parrots and phoenixes) can also feature, either fleeing, charging or more statically posed.
A miraculous flower or a lotus is also often depicted with a figure seated on it or popping out of its blossom. The medallions carved on the side walls of the so-called Elephant Doors of the Western Gopura are larger and typically feature a man fighting a large snake with dragon’s head (Fig18-19).
On the walls surrounding a window’s baluster, the tapestry reliefs are often composed of pairs of birds – parrots or phoenixes – in circular movement holding each other’s beaks. When the figures in a medallion combine to tell stories, they are short, humorous anecdotes (a man pursuing an animal or an animal chasing the man), or fragments of a well-known myth.
The best preserved and the most commonly illustrated are the legends of Vishnu and Krishna from the Purana and Harivamsa. They include an overwhelming number of representations of the episode of ‘Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhana’ symbolic as it is of divine protection and of Vishnu / Krishna fighting on the shoulders of Garuda. Less common is the story of Arjuna and the kirata being a favorite of Shaivites, and in one instance a tapestry relief seems to narrate the story of Shiva Bhikshatanamurti. Often the same topic recurs at a different site of the temple, revealing they were mass produced and beneficial.
Other myths, in descending order of frequency, are those recalling the Ramayana (‘Rama Killing Marica’, ‘Rama Killing Valin’, the duel between Valin and Sugriva, ‘The Alliance between Rama and Vibhishana’, ‘The Battle of Lanka’). A few tapestries are dedicated to Sita, her abduction, her captivity in Lanka, the meeting with Hanuman and Trijata, the exchanging of jewels with Hanuman and her ordeal by fire. The ever popular ‘Churning of the Ocean of Milk’ appears five times high-lighting its popularity and meaning for the devotee.
 
 
 
Combination of themes
The images composing a tapestry can often be combined horizontally and vertically in a logical way creating a word/picture like a phrase
Some designs of the tapestry reliefs must have been produced through the use of stencils, as I have demonstrated with my discovery (1997) of a wall with unfinished medallions (Roveda, 2001 Fig.1 and 2). From that I deduced that stencils must have been done using thick paper or thin copper sheets cut out with the figures to be reproduced (as with modern stencils), and their design transferred to the stone by rubbing them with black ink, thus defining a basic outline for the sculptors to follow when carving. In this way, the carving could proceed quickly, especially in the wall areas and door jambs with much standardized patterns and guaranteeing a homogeneity of the reliefs.
From the use of stencils in general, I assume that the same technique, but at a larger scale, may have been used for the making of the Large Panels of the northeastern quadrant of the 3rd enclosure, sculpted in the 16th century but based on 12th century drawings on paper.
In tapestry, the depth of carving of the medallions depended on the individual sculptor or workshop. Sometimes the tapestry is packed with circles and the story hardly readable; other times it is with loose circles and images, as in the case the Bhikshatanamurti, where the figures are scattered on the thin background of foliage, and the circular border of the medallions have almost completely disappeared.
Tapestry decoration in Khmer temples was first introduced at Angkor Wat. It continued to be carved in temples of the Bayon’s period. At Banteay Kdei it was executed on the ceiling of half-galleries in imitation of wood coffered decoration with rosace carvings, and later, in the temples of Vat Nokor, Ta' Prohm of Bati, on the blinds of the false windows. Not all the medallions of a tapestry combine into a narrative: the same image, or pairs of images (such as a man on a lotus-flower that I call ‘flower-man’) can be repeated hundreds of times.
Even by using stencils, tapestry decoration must have been extremely labor-intensive and thus very expensive. Only powerful kings like Suryavarman II and Jayavarman V, could use this sort of decoration for their main temples.

Tapestry types
I have distinguished three main types of tapestries at Angkor Wat:
- Medallions with Hindu legends and deities (Fig.2 -11)
- Medallions with images of athletic figures of men (Fig.12-22)
- Medallions with Floral design (Fig.23-26) and flower-men
Not in tapestry format are the heroic warriors of the Northern Elephant Door (Fig.28-32) and Apsara of the top sanctuary (Fig.33-34).
The first type is composed by a circular frame including a man with spread legs and one arm fully raised holding a weapon of some kind. The other hand is free with fingers bent as if in a classic dance: a narrow thick belt holding a loincloth terminating in a descending double tail to cover the private parts. He wears a crown or helmet, and has armlets and anklets. The torso is robust and muscular, with nipples and a belly button, and legs of an athletic man. The figure is in a decorative frame following the contour of the naga around pediments; in fact it is always associated to the large figure of a winged animal (a mythic goose or Garuda) on which rest the feet of the human figure.

As already discussed, the temple complex is oriented to the West – the direction of Vishnu – making the Western Gopura the main entrance to Angkor Wat, a fact emphasized in its grand architecture which overshadows that of other enclosure gopuras. It is also the only gopura to have lateral doors at ground level to allow access of heavy loads by cart to the larger temple compound. These are commonly known as Elephants Doors, since they were meant to allow the passage of these animals. The long galleries were windowless on their western face, but formed an open terrace on the east with two parallel rows of pillars.
The entire decoration of the inner walls of the gallery of the Second Enclosure, as well the external walls of the gallery of the First Enclosure surrounding the sanctum sanctorum of the temple are quite extraordinary. It is composed of thousands of large medallions featuring running or dancing men with raised arms (my Fig.35). In total contrast, the walls, and in particular the ceiling, of the gallery of the First Enclosure (top shrine) have a delicate tapestry-type relief composed of interlacing thin ribbons, while those on the doorjambs are of the floral type, with the exception of the doorjambs of the main doors of the central sanctuary, which, like the outer walls, have medallions with mythological figures. Most of the pillars along the four corridors leading from the galleries to the central shrine carry reliefs of devatas. The ones around the central shrine are slightly smaller in size than the ones on the outer walls and of a greater refinement. They are probably of late making (my Fig.33 and 34). The balusters of the windows of the Third Enclosure are beautifully chiseled as if they had been turned on a lathe (my Fig.3 a and b). It is probable that the Apsara and the pillars with floral decoration were carved by a workshop of great ingenuity and delicate touch. Furthermore, since tapestry reliefs are of the narrative and not the decorative type, they also function as contributors to the sacred discourse of Angkor Wat.
Reading the tapestries
The tapestry reliefs compose a thick decorative mesh of medallions on most of the inner pillars and passage doors of the temple. Their exceptional narrative elements were identified by comparisons with textual narratives and sometimes with the larger reliefs of the temple (Churning, Vishnu Govardhana, Battle of Lanka, Sita’s torments, etc.).
Each image, or medallion of the tapestry is like a word which when combined in a logical way creates a phrase. For example, consider 3 medallions in a row: two with a distressed monkey followed by a man pointing a bow and arrow towards one of the monkeys. These are decoded as Rama killing Valin in the presence of the latter’s brother Sugriva.
The way in which the reading takes place respects certain rules – a syntax, with the more important element of the story in the center of the tapestry. Often this can be the lynch-pin between a vertical and horizontal reading (eg Vishnu at the center of the Churning).
The decoding of medallions combined horizontally and vertically, becomes a unique mental and visual exercise, like a crossword.

Comparisons with George Coedès plates
To read a particular tapestry relief, I have used the same principle as Coedès. In a photograph of the tapestry with many medallions, I established a grid with horizontal letters (A, B, C, etc.) and vertical numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.). By combining the two references, we have a coordinate system to reference the exact medallion. I like to think of it much like a crossword puzzle.
For the understanding how the reading of medallions brings to a story, I start from the seminal work of the great George Coedès. I have highlighted in various colors the small scenes that Coedès and myself were able to decode.

Coedès Plate I - The Churning of the Ocean of Milk.
I start with the representation of the best and most recognizable story. This scene appears on the doorway leading into the southwestern corner pavilion from the gallery with the Large Panel of ‘The Battle of Kurukshetra’.
The tapestry relief includes the horizontal Vasuki being pulled by devas and asuras. The vertical pole is Mount Mandara on which hangs Vishnu (C3) with Brahma sitting on the top (C2). The lot is supported by the turtle Kurma (C5) behind whom appears the head of the goddess Shri (Lakshmi) and of the horse Ucchaihshravas. A row of medallions with dancing apsaras lines the top while medallions with seated worshipers fill the lower part of the composition.
C2 Brahma
C3 Vishnu
C4 the centre of churning around Vasuki pulled by devas and asuras
C5 the turtle Kurma

2 – I found a less complete depiction of this event (my Fig.4) in the wall flanking the staircase landing from the Cruciform Pavilion to the gallery of the second enclosure. This tapestry shows Vishnu hanging on a short pole standing over the turtle Kurma from which exits the head of the goddess Shri (Lakshmi) and the horse Ucchaihshravas. Exceptionally the snake Vasuki shows its cobra’s head and his thin tail. He is pulled by devas and asuras pulling in pairs.
3 – I found a third tapestry illustration of the Churning on a doorjamb of the western gate of the second enclosure. It is very damaged by water, but one can see Vishnu holding a short thin pole standing over the turtle Kurma characterized by its reticulate carapace. The deva and asura are only 2 pulling the thin Vasu reduced from a normal snake to an extremely thin rope! Only the head of the horse Ucchaihshravas seems to emerge from the top right side. Once recognised, this composition stands out from the remaining unspecified decoration of the wall.
4 – Coedès identifies a further Churning scene in Plate IV. In the upper part of this picture, he recognized a very schematic scene of the Churning while in the lower part is Krishna lifting Mount Govardana. At the center of the upper part is Vishnu with four arms and bent legs squatting over a medallion with Kurma, from which emerges the head of the goddess Shri (Lakshmi) and of the horse Ucchaihshravas. At the same level, there are 5 medallions containing the  devas and asuras making the churning. Over Vishnu is Brahma and worshipers.
Components of Coedès’ Churning on Plate IV:
C4 Brahma
C5 Vishnu at the center of the churning pole
C6 the turtle Kurma on which lies the churning pole, and at his sides (and not of Vishnu) are the performers of the churning (devas and asuras)
Coedès Plate II - Arjuna and the Kirata
I credit Coedès (his Plate II and my Fig.8) who was able to recognise this scene sculpted on the southern jamb of the highest central stepped doorway of the Cruciform Pavilion. The action is sculpted on the second and third rows from the top where Arjuna and Shiva, as a kirata (a common hunter), are depicted when they dispute over who was the first to kill the boar that is carved at the centre between them. They are flanked by rishis recognisable by their high chignons. In the row above, probably Arjuna and Shiva face each other to engage in hand-to-hand combat. This episode, taken from the Mahabharata (Vanaparvan, Kairataparvan), has been illustrated several times in a few Khmer temples (Bapuon and Bayon).
Below this event is a row of five dancing apsaras with the three-pointed crowns. Below them is another row with a dancing Shiva (central medallion, second row from bottom) with many arms (Natakeshvara), flanked on the left by Vishnu and on the right by the multi-headed Brahma followed by Ganesha (extreme right of the row). At the top of the relief is a row of rishis, of which the one at the centre (C1) is seated cross-legged in meditation, while another at the right is carrying goods on a pole. The first medallion on the left represents an ascetic upside-down, probably in some form of yoga position - unless the sculptor used the stencil upside-down!

C2 Shiva kirata (with the cap of a hunter)
C3 the dead boar - the subject of dispute
C4 Arjuna
A3 and E3 rishis
All row 1 and 2 are composed of rishis
All row 4 is composed of dancing Apsaras.
B5 Vishnu
C5 Shiva
D5 Brahma
E5 Ganesha
Coedès Plate III - Shiva in the Pine Forest.
This scene is located on the eastern jamb of the doorway leading from the western gopura into the gallery with the Large Panel of ‘The Battle of Kurukshetra’. Although Coedès interpreted this relief as the story of Ravana transforming himself into a lizard in order to penetrate Indra's harem, I interpret this relief as the story of Shiva Bhikshatanamurti appearing in the Pine Forest (Fig.9 and Plate III).
Shiva is at the centre (C2) with worshipers seated in meditation on the medallions above. The god Shiva appears a personage within the frame of a door that has a small crocodile or a lizard over the lintel. The scantily dressed figure is Shiva Bhikshatanamurti and is represented upside down. Coedès interpreted this peculiarity as an attempt to illustrate a less important image of the ascetic Shiva appearing in a physical-sensual form (naked in the original myth). The theory that Shiva is upside down because the god is acting as the erotic-Shiva and not as the ascetic-Shiva is unconvincing. Shiva seems to be surrounded – on the same row and on two rows below by the wives of the Brahmins joyfully dancing, as written in the original text where the women were scantily dressed, unfolding their sarong and with disorderly hair, mesmerized by the beautiful sudden appearance of Shiva. Even the horses seemed to be excited by the event. Three medalions below Shiva are two unidentified personages (C5), one apparently playing a musical instrument (vina or sitar), surrounded by working ascetics. The remaining underlying rows depict forest animals actively hunted by the ascetics.
Plate 3, upper part:
C1 rishi in meditation with crossed legs
C2 Shiva Bikshatanamurti
All row 3 is composed of the excited wives of the rishis.
All row 4 is composed of rishis
C5 2 figures playing musical instruments, flanked by working rishis.
All row 7 and 8 has animals being actively hunted
PlateIV – Three different episodes are carved on this tapestry.
The upper part (purple highlight) shows the main deities of the Hindu Pantheon:
A1 Ganesh
A2 Brahma
A3 Shiva dancing
A4 Vishnu

Central part of Plate IV (yellow highlight) has medallions that for Coedès represented very summary depiction of the renowned Churning of the Ocean of Milk.
C5 Vishnu holding Mount Mandara
B5 and D5devas and asuras churning (?)
C3 Brahma
C4 has the turtle Kurma from which emerges Lakshmi and the head of the horse Uccharavishvaras.

Lower part of Plate IV (blue highlight) shows a series of medallions connected with Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana, where Krishna is shown with his left arm lifting Mount Govardhana to create shelter for his gopas (cowherds) from the torrential rain sent by Indra. All other medallions (highlighted blue), show frightened squatting cowherds (gopas) and shepherds with their animals.
C7 Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana with one arm.
Rows 7 and 10 gopas and their animals.
Coedès Plate V
It represents two events taken from the Ramayana and its variants. The upper part of the tapestry illustrates Lakshmana in a medallion opposite Rama (C1) who is about to release, from his stretched bow, the fatal arrow aimed at Valin in the medallion above (not on the plate). The dying Valin is seen below (D2), recumbent in the arms of his affectionate spouse Tara. In surrounding medallions, agitated monkeys express their grief while others are crouched in dismay. Quite moving is the scene on the second row from the top, where Sugriva (Valin’s brother) extends his arm out from the medallion to touch the feet of the dying Valin, perhaps repenting to have caused the death of his brother. Valin’s many wives are depicted below him, wearing the three-pointed crowns.

Plate V upper part (pink):
C1 Rama shooting an arrow at Valin (on above panel)
D1 Lakshmana
D2 Valin dying in the arms of his wife Tara
E2 perhaps Sugriva trying to help his dying brother.
All row 3 is composed of the wives of Valin
Plate V middle part (blue):
B4 Rama
C4 an ogre
D4 Lakshmana
The lower part of Plate V has the scene of Ravana attacked by monkeys (Highlighted green),and then the event of Hanuman Exchanging Jewels with Sita (Highlighted yellow). Sita (D8) is shown seated in the ashoka grove, in the traditional pose of despair, holding her head with one arm. She is, surrounded by Ravana's rakshini of whom the benevolent Trijata is represented with a human face. Hanuman is depicted twice in this row: first as a small monkey on the ashoka tree, and later squatting or sleeping on it before descending to Sita to present her the ring of Rama.
Plate V lower part:
C6 Ravana with multiple arms and heads.
D7 Hanuman thinking how to discover Sita in the asoka garden.
C7 Hanuman descending from a tree to give Sita the ring of Rama
D8 Sita in despair, supporting her head with one arm, prisoner of the female rakshasas
C8 The benevolent rakshini Trijata
E8 Hanuman presenting the ring to Sita.

Coedès Plate VI - Alliance between Rama and Vibhishana (Coedès, plate VI):
Detail of this relief is displayed in the southern jamb of the lateral southern entrance of the 3rd enclosure’s western gopura. Coedès interpreted this scene as Rama facing Vibhishana to plan a war alliance. Vibhishana is squatting close to a monkey, possibly Hanuman. The latter possibly is also represented in the row below (A3) where the badly preserved scene seems to illustrate another moment of the same meeting.

C2 and D2 Rama and Lakshmana with their bow, facing
B2 Vibhishana
A2 Hanuman
Coedès Plate VII – The main event represented here is taken from the Ramayana and its variants.
Located in the western jamb of the lateral southern entrance of the 3rd enclosure’s western Gopura, Lakshmana is depicted in medallion C5 immobilized by Indrajit’s nagapasas arrows in the midst of fighting monkeys of rows 1-3. He is surrounded by friends (B5) and monkeys (A5) in distress; the large figure in medallion D5 is Vibhishana bringing aid to the wounded man. Hanuman is the personage sketched in medallion E4, uprooting the top of the mountain for the magic herbs needed to cure Lakshmana. Below this scene, is a row of monkeys (row 6) curiously represented in mourning.
On the upper 3 rows there are monkeys depicted with one leg and one arm raised very high, almost in an acrobatic position. This pose is also used for the Hanuman war standards carried by Khmer soldiers in several occasions, and particularly in the reliefs of the Historic Procession.
Plate VII
B2 Indrajit hidden in the clouds shoots his magic nagapas arrows, immobilizing Lakshmana
B4 Garuda descending to free Lakshmana from the nagapasa arrows.
E4 Hanuman uprooting the herbs needed to cure Lakshnmana
A5 astonished monkeys
B5 Lakshmana’s friends
C5 Lakshmana laying on the ground immobilized by nagas. Rama holds his legs.
D5 Vibhishana

Coedès Plate VIII - ‘The Fight of Valin and Sugriva’ and other myths
The medallions of this door jamb depict a multitude of fighting figures, most of whom are agitated monkey, one of powerful build being either Nila, Sugriva's general, or the ubiquitous Hanuman. The other figures are strange beings most likely the rakshasas but you say they are Lakshmana,rama,valin and sugriva
Various myths are decoded in this tapestry:
The killing of Valin (highlighted orange)
A1 Lakshmana
A2 Rama shooting an arrow
A3 Valin
A4 Sugriva
B2 and C2 monkeys finger pointing to Valin
All row 3 monkey
Mid part (highlighted in violet) Shows the Killing of Marika:
D4 Marika
D5 Rama shooting an arrow at Marika
Central part of the plate (Highlighted green) shows Viradha’s attempt to abduct Sita.
The gigantic ogre Viradha attempted to kidnap Sita, but the two brothers quickly defeated him.
C5 Viradha grabbing Sita
B5 and D5 Rama and Lakshmana shooting their arrows

The lover part of this plate depicts a small part of the Battle of Lanka (highlighted yellow).
In this relief several medallions (highlighted yellow) contain figures in which only a torso is shown (D6 and E6), as emerging from a flower. They are so common on tapestries that I named them “flower-men”.
A8 and B8 Rama and Lakshmana
D8 Ravana

Coedès Plate IX
This is located in
The medallions of this tapestry illustrate figures drawn from the Ramayana. There are two distinct episodes: Sita’s ordeal of fire in the upper part and Hanuman giving Sita the ring of Rama in the lower part. Besides the main protagonists of the stories, all the personages seem to be popping out from flowers (flower men).

Upper part of the plate illustrates: Sita’s Ordeal by Fire (rows 1-3). 
D1 The tree on which animals are climbing, probably an asoka tree.
C2 Sita is represented in middle of the fire's flames. A small crowned figure kneels near her, is probably the god Agni.
A2 and B2 Rama and Lakshmana are observing the ordeal.
On row 3  are several monkeys with raised arms, greatly agitated; one (A3) in clearly pointing his arm and finger in the direction of the ordeal.
The lower part of the plate illustrates Hanuman giving Sita the ring of Rama
B4 Hanuman in his smaller form descent to visit Sita
B5 Hanuman in his normal form thinking on how to reach Sita.
C5 Hanuman handing over to Sita the ring of Rama.
A5 the benevolent rakshini Trijata
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Coedès,GeorgeEtudes Cambodgiennes.VII.-Séconde etude sur les bas reliefs d’Angkor Wat, B.EFEO,1913, Vol.13, No.6, 1-36,  Paris 1913
Roveda,Vittorio,. Khmer narrative reliefs and Art historical chronology, Proceedings of the VIII Iinternational Conference of European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologist, Sarteano, 2000.
Roveda,Vittorio, SACRED ANGKOR, the carved reliefs of Angkor Wat, River Books, Bangkok 2000


***
Fig1 and Fig.2 – Black ink designing unfinished tapestry carving. This demonstrate the use of some sort of stencils for mass-production of medallions filled with a figure.

Fig1 and Fig.2 – Black ink designing unfinished tapestry carving. This demonstrate the use of some sort of stencils for mass-production of medallions filled with a figure.

Fig.3 and 3b – a doorjamb ornate with tapestry reliefs

Fig.3 and 3b – a doorjamb ornate with tapestry reliefs

Fig.4b – Churning of the Ocean of Milk, probably corresponding to Coedès Plate 1

Fig.5x - A man hunting a large bird with a blowpipe and a woman collecting flowers

Fig. 6x – A woman collecting flowers unaware that a tiger is attacking her

Fig.7 - Medallions with men wrestling

Fig.8 -   Medallion with “flower-man”, because the torso emerges from a flower. It the most common subject in tapestry reliefs.

Fig.9 – Rishis at work, corresponding to D5 and E5 of Plate 3 
Fig.10 – Medallions tapestry corresponding to Plate 10, B2 (Rama) and C2 (Sita ordeal of fire)

Fig.11 - Four medallions with the scene of Hanuman giving to Sita the ring of Rama. It correspond to Plate ll, B4 and B5, and C5

Fig.12 - unfinished tapestry in part rubbed away to allow the carving of unfinished chariot pulled by many horses and probably with a mythical rider (The Sun? the Ashvins?).

Fig.13 – Shiva Bikshatanamurti is depicted upside down, perhaps to indicate his sudden miraculous appearance naked amongst the wives of the rishis. On the door lintel is the image of the crocodile often associated with Shiva. Over this door is a rishi with crossed legs in meditation. Below the door is a medallion with another rishi. The medallion to the left shows a running figure, perhaps an excited wife of the rishis. The tapestry is extremely low carved, often invisible.

Fig. 14 – Medallion with the image of Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana 


Fig.15 – Medallion depicting Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana.

Fig.16 – Medallion depicting Rama holding his bow

Fig.17, and 18b –The tapestry decorating the elevate walls of the room for the guards of the north-western elephant door is composed of vegetal trellises transforming in Hamsa or Garuda). The man inside seems to be running or going to fight. Each man has a different crown or different hairstyle. It is doubtful if the orange ochre painting was done at the time of the construction of the temple in early 12th century or much later. Some figures are black (?)

Fig.17, and 18b –The tapestry decorating the elevate walls of the room for the guards of the north-western elephant door is composed of vegetal trellises transforming in Hamsa or Garuda). The man inside seems to be running or going to fight. Each man has a different crown or different hairstyle. It is doubtful if the orange ochre painting was done at the time of the construction of the temple in early 12th century or much later. Some figures are black (?)

Fig. 19 -21 – High relief tapestry with an athletic man inside a thin treelike medallions not transforming into a Hamsa or Garuda.

Fig. 19 -21 – High relief tapestry with an athletic man inside a thin treelike medallions not transforming into a Hamsa or Garuda.

Fig. 19 -21 – High relief tapestry with an athletic man inside a thin treelike medallions not transforming into a Hamsa or Garuda.

Fig.22 and 23 - Tapestry with phoenixes carved inside the medallion

Fig.22 and 23 - Tapestry with phoenixes carved inside the medallion

Fig.24 – Lo reliefs tapestry with small figures of men carved in rhomboidal frames

Fig.25 and 26 – Tapestry relief with medallions filled with wild animals and hunters

Fig.25 and 26 – Tapestry relief with medallions filled with wild animals and hunters

Fig.27 – Tapestry relief with dense vegetal scrolls and trellises uniting the composition terminating with a flower.

Fig.28 - Tapestry with a net a loose flower design covering the walls of exit wall of the Southern Corner Pavilion.

Add captionFig. 29 – Decorative geometric tapestry decoration with circles.  of great elegance some pilaster of the gallery leading from the Cruciform Gallery to the Second Enclosure.


Fig.30 – Decoration with flowers in a larger mesh with flowers at nots, typical of the roof of the gallery of the First Enclosure.

Add captionFig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 


Fig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 

Fig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 

Fig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 


Fig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 

Fig.31-36 – Although not belonging to this study of tapestry reliefs, these elegant figures are carved in very low reliefs following the style of the medallions. The parsonages stands with spread legs on the wings of the mythological animal seen in above photographs, a Hamsa or Garuda. Each mythological hero has different crown and loincloth allowing the display of his powerful torso. It is easy to see these reliefs with the light of sunset on the wall of the elephant doors of the gallery of the 4th enclosure or entrance gallery. 

Fig.37 and 38– I like to include here also the rare carvings of apsara on the pillars of the gallery lading to the northern door of the central tower of Angkor Wat, being noticeable for their extreme delicacy and refinement not seen elsewhere in the temple.

Fig.37 and 38– I like to include here also the rare carvings of apsara on the pillars of the gallery lading to the northern door of the central tower of Angkor Wat, being noticeable for their extreme delicacy and refinement not seen elsewhere in the temple.

Fig.39 – Tapestry relief composed by large medallions decorating all the outer walls of the Second Enlosure, together with small groups of carved apsaras.










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The explanation of these plates below is given in the text above.