Neak pean

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The temple tower of Neak Pean; clearly visible the head of a stone snake winding around the steps
The horse Balaha

Neak Pean is an artificial island in the center of North Baray , an artificial reservoir . The ensemble, unique in Khmer building , was created at the end of the 12th century under King Jayavarman VII. Neak Pean can be found in the historic Angkor area not far from the city of Siem Reap ( Cambodia ).

investment

Because the Northern Baray was repaired from 2007, the square island is now again in the middle of a rectangular, extensive water surface. The overall shape of the Baray is difficult to guess from the ground, but it is easy to see from the air (3500 by 900 m, with narrow sides facing west and east). The island is 350 by 350 m in size and has pools of water grouped in a cross. The water basin arrangement used to consist of a central basin, 70 by 70 m, four basins attached to the sides, 25 by 25 m each, and a ring of eight further basins; the latter have not been preserved. In the middle of the inner basin, a circular island (diameter 14 m) rises in stages, crowned by a Prasat , a temple tower, which is cross-shaped in plan . The building materials, from bottom to top, are laterite and sandstone . The shores of the inner temple island are decorated with depictions of two naga - hence the (modern) name Neak Pean ("intertwined snakes"). The foot of the temple tower is surrounded by abstractions of opening lotus petals , the sanctuary itself is reminiscent of a rising lotus bud. Mock doors and gable panels bear Buddhist relief decorations .

Immediately to the east of the temple tower, on a causeway, stands a sandstone sculpture of the horse Balaha, an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara. The four peripheral pelvis are slightly lower than the central pelvis; they are connected to this by four well chambers; A human head serves as a gargoyle in the east, a lion's head in the south, a horse's head in the west and an elephant's head in the north. Presumably the ensemble symbolizes the lake Ananvatapta located on the Himalayas , whose auspicious water pours into the four holy rivers Ganges , Indus , Oxus and Tarim - originally the complex was called Rajyasri ("happiness of the kingdom"). In all four corners of the island there were once small elephant sculptures - only the one in the southeast has survived. Four stairs, actually landing stages, mark the four main directions; the modern access route is in the north.

gallery

  • overall view

  • The horse at high water level

  • First half of the access route (flooded area)

  • Second half of the access route (dense vegetation)

Information base

literature

  • Michael Freeman and Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . Bangkok 1999 (River Books), ISBN 974-8225-27-5 .
  • Nick Ray: Cambodia . Victoria 2005 (Lonely Planet Publications), ISBN 1-74059-525-4 .
  • Johann Reinhart Zieger: Angkor and the Khmer temples in Cambodia . Chiang Mai 2006 (Silkworm Books), ISBN 974-9575-60-1 .

Web links

Commons : Neak Pean  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peou slope: Water & Heritage in Angkor, Cambodia. The monuments, the ancient hydraulic network and their recent rehabilitation . In: Willem JH Willems and Henk PJ van Schaik (eds.): Water & Heritage. Material, conceptual and spiritual connections . Sidestone Press (Leiden 2015), ISBN 978-90-8890-279-6 , pp. 71–86, here pp. 80/81.

Coordinates: 13 ° 27 ′ 47.6 ″  N , 103 ° 53 ′ 40.5 ″  E