Cambodian Architecture, Eighth to Thirteenth Centuries 9789004392038, 9004392033

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CAMBODIAN ARCHITECTURE EIGHTH TO THIRTEENTH CENTURIES

Jacques Dumarçay and Pascal Royère - 978-90-04-39203-8 Downloaded from Brill.com02/09/2023 10:40:12AM via Universite degli Studi di Milano

HANDBOOK OF ORIENTAL STUDIES HANDBUCH DER ORIENTALISTIK SECTION THREE

SOUTH-EAST ASIA EDITED BY

B. ARPS· M.C .. RICKLEFS· D.K. WYATT

VOLUME TWELVE

CAMBODIAN ARCHITECTURE, EIGHTH TO THIRTEENTH CENTURIES

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CAMBODIAN ARCHITECTURE EIGHTH TO THIRTEENTH CENTURIES BY

JACQUES DUMARQAY AND

PASCAL ROYERE

TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY MICHAEL SMITHIES

BRILL LEIDEN· BOSTON· KOLN 2001

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Illustration on the cover. Ta Keo, east fai;ade.

This book is printed on acid-free paper

Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Dumar~ay,Jacques: Cambodian architecture : eighth to thirteenth centuries / by Jacques Dumari;ay and Pascal Royere. Transl. and ed. by Michael Smithies .. Leiden ; Boston · Kain : Brill, 200 I (Handbuch cler Orientalistik: Abt. 3, Siidostasien; Bd. 12) 1SBN 90-04-11346-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is also available

ISSN 0169-9571 ISBN 90 04 11346 0

© Copyright 2001 by Koninklijke Brill N. V., uiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part ef this publication mqy he reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval .rystem, or transmitted in any farm or by any means, e/,ectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission.from the publisher. Authori;::ation to photocopy items far internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid direct!JJ to The Copyright C1.earance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. Fees are su/!iect to change. PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS

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CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII List of figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IX List of photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Introduction ........................................ XVII PART ONE: The limitations imposed on builders . . . . . . . . 1 1 The economic constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Khmer construction techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 3 The architectural project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 4 The architectural decoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 5 The constraints of the site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 PART TWO: The buildings proper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Pre-Angkorian architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The ninth century: Roluos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Phnom Bakheng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pre Rup and Ta Keo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Bapuon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Angkor Wat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Architecture in the reign of Jayavarman VII . . . . . . . . . 8 Wooden architecture of the thirteen th century . . . . . . . .

37 39 48 55 63 71 80 90 101

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index .............................................. Figures Photographs

109 11 3 115 119

Jacques Dumarçay and Pascal Royère - 978-90-04-39203-8 Downloaded from Brill.com02/09/2023 10:40:12AM via Universite degli Studi di Milano

Jacques Dumarçay and Pascal Royère - 978-90-04-39203-8 Downloaded from Brill.com02/09/2023 10:40:12AM via Universite degli Studi di Milano

PREFACE The history of Cambodian architecture, which we offer here, is limited in time to only five hundred years, from the eighth to the thirteenth centuries, because before this period there are too few monuments to develop a history, and, after the thirteenth century, the buildings, in spite of their interest, have lost a part of their architectural value. After the introduction, in which we attempt to place architecture in its economic, and to a lesser degree its social context, we consider the constraints imposed on architecture, and then turn to the monuments proper. The separation of our text into two parts attempts to show how the architectural constraints evolved independently of the history of the monuments. We have obviously based our observations on our earlier works (mostly published by the Ecole Frarn;aise d'Extreme Orient) and also on recent research, in particular for the Bapuon, the restoration of which, by Pascal Royere, has provided considerable new insights. This is also the case of Neak Pean, for which scattered studies, by Henri Marchal and B.P. Groslier, have been brought together for the first time to form a history of this monument which we hope is coherent. The drawings illustrating this study, with a few exceptions (the plans of Phnom Bakheng, Ta Keo, and the Bayon) are unpublished or have been redrawn by one or other of the authors. Thus the axonometric perspective of Angkor Wat is unpublished but based on the drawings of G. Nafilyan. The photographs have also been taken by one or other of the authors and are all previously unpublished. Our thanks go first of all to Michael Smithies, our translator and often editor, who has laboured over this work, and tried to make our text intelligible in spite of its being sometimes very technical. We also thank Madame]. Duman;ay who has checked the French text and her daughter Anne Garro for her computing assistance. We would like to thank all those who by their encouragement and information supplied have enabled us to complete the work, in particular Madame B.P. Groslier, who gave us access to the archives of her late husband. Finally, we thank our publisher who agreed to

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VIII

PREFACE

publish so many drawings and photographs for a text which is occasionally hard going. Jacques Dumarc;ay and Pascal Royere

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LIST OF FIGURES 1 1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

18.

Map of Cambodia (present day). Plan of the site of Angkor and Roluos. A. Schema showing Khmer sagging beamwork. B. Illustration of sagging beamwork on a side aisle in the Chiangmai region. In 3A and 3B the letter 'c' indicates the shearing points. The Eastern Mebon: reconstruction of a roof covering one of the long buildings in the second enclosure. Reconstruction of the beamwork covering a building of cruciform plan. Placing a tiled roof on a building of cruciform plan. Reconstruction of a roof covering one of the entrance pavilions of the Bakong pyramid. Bayon, internal gallery, example of a carving showing a building with a cruciform plan. Temporary brick kiln similar to those used in the 1960s in the Siemreap region. Kulen plateau: cutting face of a sandstone (arkose) quarry. Ben Melea: the bed of the O Melea, sandstone quarry. Bayon relief: internal gallery; showing a stonecutter's hut at a construction site. Preah KhaJ?, of Kompong Svay: monolith of one of the avantcorps of the central shrine. Phnom Bakheng: retaining wall of the pyramid, structure at right angles in the vertical plane. Phimeanakas: forcing wedges in a vertical plane. Bapuon: forcing wedges in the vertical and horizontal planes. Terrace of the Leper King: division of the north wall of the second state into vertical panels, showing several techniques of placing the stones. The hatched parts are forcing wedges. Ben Melea: situation of a forcing wedge acting as a small reinforcing vault above the lintel; at 'a' position of a wedge which ensures the adjustment of the stones.

1 All the illustrations in this study have been drawn by the authors, except where indicated.

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X

LIST OF FIGURES

19. Prasat O Paong, Kulen plateau: the placing of elements of the door frame. 20. Bayon, external galley, south side, east wing: relief called 'The palace'. 21. So-called Elephant Terrace, north lateral fac;ade: winged telamon lion. 22. Lopburi, Thailand: royal palace, throne hall, axonometrical drawing after an original illustration. 23. Model of the Khmer sanctuary tower at the end of the eighth century. 24. Western Mebon: superimposition of two states (' l' being the first state, '2' the second). 'A' is the level at the bottom of the central pool, 'B' the level at the bottom of the baray, 'C' the top of the first state of the dyke, 'D' the top of the second state of the dyke, 'E' the top of the third state of the dyke. 25. Prasat Chrei: external corner of the cornice of the north entrance pavilion. 26. Bayon: decoration at the south-east corner of avant-corps no. 13 of the central structure. 27. Ta Keo: outline of the string-walls of the third flight of the east staircase on the upper terrace. 28. Angkor Wat: outline of the foundation of the central structure. 29. Thomanon: outline of the base of the central shrine, detail of the decoration of the upper band. 30. South Kleang: pediment and lintel above the south false doorway. 31. Bayon, outer gallery, west side, south wing: relief showing the extraction and transportation of sandstone. 32. Wat Phu: location of the axes of successive foundations. 33. Prasat Bei, south tower, east stairway: location of the foundation deposit at 'a'. 34. Sambor Prei Kuk: site (after H Parmentier, L'Art Khmer Primi-

tij). 35. Sambor Prei Kuk, south group: axonometric drawing of the central shrine. 36. Sambor Prei Kuk, south group: elevation of the canopy for a statue of Nandin. 37. Sambor Prei Kuk, south group: axonometric drawing of an octagonal tower. 38. Sambor Prei Kuk, south group, octagonal tower: external decoration showing a flying palace.

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LIST OF FIGURES

XI

39. Sambor Prei Kuk, north group: axonometric drawing of the external shrine N .11. 40. Sambor Prei Kuk, north group: stone cell N.17, half-facade north. 41. Kulen plateau, plan (after Boulbet and Dagens): 1, Kbal Spean; 2, Prasat Kralan; 3, Prasat O Paong; 4, Prasat Damrei Krap; 5, Prasat Thmar Dap; 6, Prasat Nih To; 7, quarries; 8, water reservoirs; 9, potters' kilns. 42. Kulen plateau: axonometric drawing of Prasat O Paong. 43. Kulen plateau: plan of Prasat Damrei Krap. 44. Borobudur, a structure shown on a relief of the fourth gallery, north side. 45. Kulen, Prasat Damrei Krap: decoration at the top of the wall of the main building under the cornice. 46. Bakong: plan of the second state of the pyramid with its eleventh century modifications at the top. 4 7. Prah Ko: end tile discovered on the site. 48. Prah Ko: plan of the central terrace. 49. Phnom Bakheng: plan of the ensemble. 50. Phnom Bakheng: detail of one of the sandstone towers of the pyramid. 51. Phnom Bakheng: layout of the axes; 'abed', upper terrace; 'efgh', base of the pyramid; 'ijkl', first concentric enclosure on the upper terrace; 'mnop', outer enclosure. 52. Baksei Chamkrong: elevation of the east fac;ade. 53. Phnom Krom: elevation of the east fac;ade of the south tower. 54. Phnom Krom: elevation of the east fac;ade of the south library. 55. Prasat Kravanh: partial east elevation of the central tower. 56. Prasat Kravanh: elevation of the internal west wall of the furthest north tower. 57. Koh Ker: plan of the inner enclosure, after Parmentier (Dart Khmer classique, fig. 5). 58. Koh Ker: axonometric drawing of the portico of a long building in the fourth enclosure. 59. Eastern Baray, plan of two successive states: 'aaaa', original position of the stelae ofYasovarman; 'bbbb', location of the same stelae after the raising of the dyke; 'c', presumed original position of the fifth stele; 'd', place where the fifth stele was discovered. 60. Eastern Mebon: plan of the whole. 'abed' is the limit of the

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XII

61.

62.

63. 64. 65. 66. 6 7. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72.

73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79.

80. 81. 82.

LIST OF FIGURES

addition in Rajendravarman's reign, 'e' shows the outlets for rain water. Eastern Mebon: decoration on the false door of the north-west shrine on the upper terrace. 'A', 'B', show the axis of the horizontal symmetry of the decoration. Pre Rup: axonometric drawing of the north-east pavilion in the inner enclosure. A: Tiles from the original state of the Eastern Mebon and Pre Rup. B: Tiles used in repairs to the roofs of these two temples. Bantay Srei: axonometric drawing of the ensemble. Ta Keo: plan of the monument. Royal palace: south-east entrance pavilion, south elevation. Phimeanakas: plan including the additions of the twelfth century. North Kleang: elevation of the southern half of the west fa