The Pre-Angkorian era

a). Siva’s wife

From the outset of Khmer art, during the Nokor Phnom period, Umá, Siva’s wife, is symbolized by the yoní, the female reproductive element, while Siva is symbolized by the linga, the male reproductive element.

Photo 23: Yoní (Ka. 1747)   We have not found any female deities from this period. During the Phnom Da style, Siva and his wife are still not depicted in human form. Some research studies indicate that the birth of the universe comes from the union of the forces of the sun and the earth. In this case, the light of the sun on contact with the earth would foster the birth of life, creation and the development of human, animal and plant life. Other documents present the linga as the power behind the birth of the universe while the yoní would simply represent the field of creation or support the linga, which is called Snánadroni. But both yoní and linga play the same important role in the birth of the universe. Photo 24: Linga (Ka. 1630) Most of the yoní held in the museum are made of schist. A yoní is usually square in shape; its design comprises a lip to let the holy water flow out and with a central opening, either round or square, where the linga is placed. The square, the most common shape, symbolizes Umá, but the museum also owns a round-shaped yoní that symbolizes Dyrgá under the guise of a buffalo. There are some examples of linga and yoní carved in a single block of stone. Photo 25: Yoní (Ka. 1761) The worship of the god Siva and his wife Umá symbolized as the linga and the yoní is merely a duplication of primitive beliefs in natural forces, as previously described. As a symbol of the existence of natural forces, the linga is placed atop the yoní, its peak turned upriht. Photo 25: Linga and Yoní (Ga. 3449)   To this day, yoní can be found in certain temples. They always face north. The north symbolizes wealth – productivity or fertility – guarded by a Lokapála named Kuvera. During the Tchen-la era, Durgá, Siva’s wife, is portrayed in a human form by the artists from the Sambor Prei Kuk, Prei Khmeng and Kampong Preah styles (Ka. 1593, fig.1). Follwing this anthropomorphic representation of Durgá, Siva, too, for the first time is portrayed in a human form. The Lingodbhavamúrti lintel (Ka. 1774) from the Prei Khmeng stule is adorned with a bas-relief of a human head, on the linga-shaped pillar of fire, which represents Siva according to the account of the argument between the three major gods, Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Photo 27: Lintel (Ka. 1774) Durgá appears as a four-armed female deity, standing atop a pedestal, of which the principle face features a buffalo head symbolizing her fierce enemy, the Asura. Legend has it that after he conquered the world of the gods, the Asura Mahisa chased them away. The gods warned Siva and asked for his help in finding a way to kill him. Siva replied that no god except his wife Durgá was capable of carrying out such a task. Indeed, this goddess was born spontaneously from the will and the magical powers of the three major gods, Brahma, Visnu and Siva himself. Immediately after, she received weapons from the major and the minor gods: Visnu’s bow. A bloody war took place between Durgá and Mahisa. The goddess emerged victorious from the war by killing the Asura.   Detail of central motif of Lintel (Ka. 1774) The museum’s collections show a four-armed Durgá wearing the symbols of Visnu. Durgá is portrayed as a female deity standing on a pedestal with a buffalo head on the front. Even though Khmer art captures the extraordinary strength of Durgá, it never depicts the goddess’ fierceness. However, one of the works (Ka. 2927) shows the goddess holding a dagger ad a shield in her upper hands, weapons that she received from different gods. b). Visnu’s wife The museum owns a statue of a female deity with two broken arms (Ka. 1621), which, in the absence of any attributes and characteristic features, has been named, ‘the lady adorned with all the qualities of beauty’. This perfect beauty may be Laksmí, Visnu’s wife.