Sambor Prei Kuk, South Group or: Prasat Yeay Puon
The South Group is the temple of King Ishanavarman (616 - 628).
The interior room of the Central Tower S1 measures 9.05 m by 5.21 m, this is the largest tower of all Khmer temples. (The standard in Angkor is 4 m by 4 m.)
Look at the lintels, they are remarkable for their vivid design. One of the flying palaces is the residence of an autonomous goddess. (Later on goddesses will be just the consorts of a god.)S1 was linked to the tower S2 in front of the main entrance by a flat stone bridge (from which only a few scraps have remained).
S2 opens the East and West. Inside is a monolithic canopy. The carvings show excellent craftsmanship. It sheltered a silver statue of Nandi who was facing his lord Shiva in the main tower. This tower has collapsed in 2008. Look at the small male faces in Indian style.
The inner enclosure wall was adorned with circular medallions. Some of them have remained in the West.
The South Group is the temple of King Ishanavarman (616 - 628).
The interior room of the Central Tower S1 measures 9.05 m by 5.21 m, this is the largest tower of all Khmer temples. (The standard in Angkor is 4 m by 4 m.)
Look at the lintels, they are remarkable for their vivid design. One of the flying palaces is the residence of an autonomous goddess. (Later on goddesses will be just the consorts of a god.)S1 was linked to the tower S2 in front of the main entrance by a flat stone bridge (from which only a few scraps have remained).
S2 opens the East and West. Inside is a monolithic canopy. The carvings show excellent craftsmanship. It sheltered a silver statue of Nandi who was facing his lord Shiva in the main tower. This tower has collapsed in 2008. Look at the small male faces in Indian style.
The inner enclosure wall was adorned with circular medallions. Some of them have remained in the West.
East gate of the inner enclosure
Towers S2 (in front) and S1, photo from 2004.
Canopy in S2
Small face at the canopy
Central tower from south-east
Lintel presenting Indra and naga
Reliefs at the inner enclosure wall
Trudy Jacobsen, Lost goddesses: The denial of female power in Cambodian history, Copenhagen, 2008
Jaques/Lafond, p. 86.