As stated earlier, the Preag Neang Deví are
representations of the female ancestors, in the form of goddesses embodied in
portrait-statues and, at the same time, works of art.
The essence of the Preah Neang Deví statue
The plurality of the Indian Brahmanism and Buddhism
figures can be found also in ancient Cambodia’s religious history. However,
they diverge in terms of religious practice as the ancient Khmers viewed their
ancestors as supreme gods.
The Khmers, who fully mastered the Sanskrit language
– as evidenced by the inscriptions found on steles, piers, small columns and
even objects-expressed this divergence through the production of
portrait-statues.
If, forgetting their previous role, we consider the
Preah Neang Deví only as goddesses and if we reduce them to simple museum
pieces – something they never were in the past since they were the owners of
temples, which in turn were considered to be the gods’ palaces – we alter their
role and their function.
Some temples, made of brick or stone, were built at
the top of mountains; others are large sides. All took many years to decorate.
The temples are dedicated to the ancestors’ spirits, represented by statues of
the deities. Religious architecture therefore complements these statues.
Temple building becomes a respected tradition, which
the kings use to express their gratitude to their ancestors.
We know that the temples are surrounded by moats;
Angkor Vat, Banteay Kdei and Bakong are some of the finest examples. The moats
no only mark the boundary of the sacred space, they are also a main source of
water for local residents and an aquatic environment where fish, shrimps,
frogs, eels, turtles and many other species thrive and a natural habitat for
aquatic plants such as water – lilies, bindweeds and many more. The moats are
essential both to the daily lives of the people and, as a sacred place, to
protect the natural environment.
Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian era inscriptions teach
us that a great many servants were appointed to care for the temples, each
being assigned a specific task; there are cloth weaves, palm leaf weavers,
dancers and ‘vina’ players. The temple is viewed as a small community serving
religion and society.
