Skip to main content

Yasovarma (889-900)

Son of Indravarman and Indradeví, who himself came from the royal families of Vyádhapura, Sambhupura in Kratie province and Aninditapura in sputern water Tchen-la.

In 893, he erected Lolei temple in the middle of the Indratatáka Baray. The brick temple comprised four sanctuaries designed to house statues of Siva and his wife, which represent his parents and grandparents. He commissioned the construction of several hermitages throughout the province.

The inscription on the Sdok Kak Thom stele names him as the founder of the city of Yasodharapura. He built his temple at the top of Phnom Bakheng to house the Yasldharesvara Siva linga. In addition, he crowned Phnom Bok and Phnom Krom with temples dedicated to the major Trimúrti gods, Brahma, Visnu and Siva, and completed the eastern reservoir, which is called Yasldharatatáka and spreads over an area of 7km in length by 1.8km in width. The reservoir is now dry.

Lastly, he began the construction of temples dedicated to the supreme god, Siva: Sikharesvara at Preah Vihear temple and Bhadresvara at Phnom Sandak temple (Sivapura).

Yasovarman was given the posthumous name Preah Sivaloka after his death.

Popular posts from this blog

Kampong Preah style (706-800)

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. Fig...
Read more

Banteay Srei style

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 tw...
Read more

Prei Khmeng style (635-700)

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...
Read more