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.
