ANGKOR WAT

ANGKOR WAT

Its proper name is = Prasat Angkor Wat

Located in Cambodia

~Its is built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century

~ Designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the deva's in Hindu mythology

~Oriented in west

~ Centred at Baphuon. Its in area where there is an important group of ancient structure.

~ Admires for the harmony of the architecture which extensive bas-relief and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirit) of adorning its walls.

 

The picture above are the plan of the Angkor Wat

~ The central quincunx of the tower represent - 5 peaks of the mountain

and the wall and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean.

~ The upper level of the temple are encouraging as an exclusive with the laity being admitted only to the lowest level

~Oriented to west because - to conclude that Suryavarman intended it to serve as his funery temple.

~ The main building material are - SANDSTONE 

~ Laterite was used for the outer wall and for the hidden structural parts

Elements Characteristics

~the ogival -redented towers shaped like lotus buds

~half galleries to broaden passageways

~axial galleries connecting enclosures

~the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple.

Typical Decorative Elements

~~devatas, bas-reliefs , and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scene

Techniques of Construction

~ The material stone is used to laid down without mortar to join but replace it with a very tight joints that were sometimes hard to find

~The blocks material are put in a place in a composition of elephants, coir ropes, pulleys and bamboo scaffolding

~ Virtually, all of its surfaces, columns, lintels and even their roofs are carved

~ There are miles of their relief illustrated frim the Indian Literature that include;

*unicorns

*griffins

*winged dragon pulling chariots as well as warriors following an elephant mounted leader 

*celestial dancing girls with elaborate hair styles