Preah Pithu

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Young Buddhist monks in front of temple U

Preah Pithu ( Khmer : ប្រាសាទព្រះពិធូរ ) is a complex of five largely destroyed temples in Angkor Thom . It is located northeast of the Khmer Royal Palace Phimeanakas , north of the city of Siem Reap , Cambodia . The individual, partly unfinished buildings were probably mostly built in the first half of the 12th century under Suryavarman II . Except for a later built Buddhist shrine , Preah Pithu is a Hindu temple complex . Preah Pithu was cleared of trees by the École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO) at the beginning of the 20th century and is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor .

Overall complex

Plan of the temple of Preah Pithu

The entire complex consists of five mostly crumbling temples that were built and supplemented over a longer period of time. Temples T and U were probably built at the same time. Their western orientation is unusual for the buildings in Angkor and is otherwise only found at Angkor Wat . The French archaeologist Maurice Glaize , who researched Angkor on behalf of the École française d'Extrême-Orient in the middle of the 20th century and restored some buildings using anastylosis , dated Preah Pithu in Les monuments du groupe d'Angkor to the early 12th century. In order for this system would fall into the phase of the classical architectural style of Khmer , which is named after Angkor Wat. Today it is assumed that Preah Pithu was mostly built in the first half of the 12th century under the rule of Suryavarman II and that some parts were added in the 13th century. During the reign of Suryavarman II, Angkor reached the height of its power, which, in addition to the expansion of the empire, was evident in the completion of Angkor Wat. Except for a Buddhist sanctuary, which, according to the archaeologist Claude Jacques of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, was probably not built until the 14th century, these are Hindu temples.

Preah Pithu was freed from overgrowth in 1908 by Jean Commaille and from 1918 to 1920 by Henri Marchal on behalf of the École française d'Extrême-Orient. In 1992 Angkor and thus Preah Pithu became a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Temple T

Prasat Temple T. On the top of the pyramid is the largely collapsed cella with vestibules in front . The 16-sided columns can be seen to the side of their portals.

Temple T is surrounded by a moat together with Temple U. A recess in the west forms the access to this complex. It consists of a cross-shaped double terrace with axial stairs and the balustrades typical of Angkor's architecture , designed as many-headed Nagas . The terrace is supported by small cylindrical columns. The wall, which covers an area of ​​40 × 45 m, is made of sandstone and, with the shape of its crown, imitates the cantilever vaults that characterize the Angkor galleries . The entrance to Temple T is a narrow gopuram with a passage and two side chambers. The Prasat consists of a cross-shaped, three-tiered pyramid with axial stairs and is decorated with horizontal ribbons in relief . The stairs form a landing on the first level. The temple tower is a total of 6 m high. The 3 × 3 m large cella on the top level has openings in all four directions, each of which is preceded by a small vestibule . These show relief depictions of dancing devas , whose dresses are decorated with flowers. This detail became a feature of the later Bayon style. The portals of the vestibules are laterally framed by 16-sided columns. The lintel of the western vestibule next to the portal shows the swirl of the milk ocean . In the east, another gopuram in the surrounding wall forms the exit of Temple T, which means that it has a western orientation.

Temple U

Ornate lintel above the western entrance to the cella of Temple U. Shiva is shown in his dancing form Nataraja on the demon's head.

Just a few meters east of Temple T lies on the same axis as this Temple U. It is surrounded by a sandstone wall that stands on a molded base . Temple U has an area of ​​35 × 28 m. The entrance is not a gopuram, but a simple door. The only partially preserved Prasat has a similar structure to that of Temple T, but of a smaller size. The outer walls of the vestibules are decorated with dancing devas and apsaras against a floral background. Dvarapalas are depicted in their place next to the entrances . At the base of the pilasters there are blind arches that show small scenes with figures. This is a typical stylistic device of the Angkor Wat period. The ornate gables above the entrance portals of the cella show the whispering of the Milky Ocean in the north and the Trimurti in the west, i.e. the three great Hindu gods Brahma , Vishnu and Shiva . In this representation Shiva dances as a multi-armed Nataraja between Brahma and Vishnu and stands on the head of the all-devouring demon Kala , which is known in Indian iconography as Kirtimukha and serves to deter evil spirits. In the south, the unfinished relief of the pediment - like the pillars of the entrance portals - shows Vishnu and Shiva riding Kala once more. Lintels of this type, in the middle of which such a demon head is depicted, have been a typical element of Khmer architecture since the Preah-Ko style in the time of Indravarman I (877–890), under which they flourished. The kala motif goes back to influences from the Champa and Java and was first used in the early days of Angkor under Jayavarman II in the Kulen style. The cella is 2 × 2 m in size.

Temple X

Double frieze with Buddha and Bodhisattvas inside the cella of Temple X.

About 50 m east of Temple U on the other side of the moat, on a square terrace with a side length of 40 m, stands temple X. This is 30 m north of the east-west axis of the first two temples and is designed according to the same plan, but has no surrounding wall. The 4 m high foundation of Temple X has pronounced relief strips and is fully formed. Access to the platform and to the cross-shaped, two-step Prasat is formed by four axial staircases flanked by lions. The 4 m high temple tower has a simple design and remained unfinished, which means that it comes from a later construction phase than the other temples of Preah Pithu. As with temples T and U, four vestibules are in front of the square cella with a side length of 2.20 m. Inside, a double frieze with Buddha and Bodhisattvas , who have clear ushnishas , i.e. raised parts , runs around the access portals . Furthermore, three Buddhas can be seen on the eastern lintel, surrounded by praying figures. These Buddhist representations, which were probably attached later, in an inherently Hindu temple complex, caused Jacques Temple X to date to the 14th century and thus as the youngest of the complex, with which it fell into the style epoch of Post-Bayon. Additional gable surfaces, including a frieze showing the samskara of the first shave, have been found near Glaize. Immediately to the east of Temple X is a laterite terrace surrounded by Bai Semas , at the edge of which Glaize was able to find remains of Naga balustrades. This Buddhist sacred building contains a water basin, to which a staircase with two elephants as guardian figures leads down.

Temple V

West view of Prasat from Temple V with vestibule in front of the innermost sanctuary

To the northwest of Temple X is Temple V, which also has no surrounding wall. A 70 m long dam leads to it from the west, which starts from a 35 × 55 m cross-shaped terrace. The Prasat has a cruciform, three-tiered base made of sandstone, which is surrounded by several finely and richly decorated relief bands, and axial staircases. A stele on the east stairs of the temple tower shows Varuna on his mount Makara . Several fragments with many-headed Nagas have been preserved in the vicinity of the temple. The upper sanctuary stands on a double plinth adorned with friezes . As with the other temples, it contains a square cella, which here is 3.80 m long, with vestibules in front in all four directions. In contrast to the rest of the buildings, Temple V has two vestibules in a row to the east and thus an extension that emphasizes its eastern orientation. In the cella there is a 1.5 m iconic symbol for Shiva, a so-called lingam , whose yoni , which is a reservoir for holy water, has 16 holes. The wall decoration remained unfinished and shows the typical features of the Angkor Wat style, such as form elements in the wall pillars that resemble a lyre .

Temple Y

South side door to the vestibule of Temple Y with reliefs over the portal and pavilion

Temple Y is located 15 m north of Temple X on a slightly elevated ground terrace. Its floor plan differs significantly from the other buildings in Preah Pithu. Temple Y consists of a 7 × 8 m rectangular vestibule with an entrance on the east. Part of it collapsed. It is followed by a vestibule with two side doors to the north and south as a connecting component to the cella. This structure with a front mandapa as the entrance hall, the Antarala as the vestibule and the Garbhagriha as the inner sanctuary is typical of Hindu architecture . On the western outer wall of the mandapa, two half-gable fields flank the two side doors of the vestibule. The gable field next to the northern portal shows Vishnu on Garuda fighting the thousand-armed Asura Bana, a son of the Daitya king Bali . The corresponding relief on the southern door of the vestibule takes up the Vishnu myth of the three steps from the Puranas . In this myth, Vishnu outwits King Bali in his fifth incarnation as a dwarf Vamana and opens up heaven, earth and underworld in three steps in order to restore the supremacy of the Devas. The relief shows Vishnu putting his foot on a lotus flower held by the great goddess Devi . Below is a palace scene, which can be seen in a similar form in Prasat Kravan . Another gable field shows the fight between the monkey kings Sugriva and Vali from the Ramayana . The pillars of temple Y are decorated with floral scrollwork, which ends in bird heads. The cella is 3 × 3.50 m and ends in the west with a false portal. Inside it was a 0.95 m high lingam. Glaize placed Temple Y between Angkor Wat and Bayon. It is unclear what purpose it was dedicated to, in parts it resembles buildings for the accommodation of pilgrims, which can be found in the entrance area of ​​other temples in Angkor. Jacques suggests that Temple Y was built later than Temples T, U, and V.

literature

  • Marilia Albanese: Angkor . National Geographic Art Guide. Ed .: National Geographic Society . G + J / RBA GmbH & Co KG, Hamburg 2006, ISBN 978-3-937606-77-4 , p. 246–249 (Italian: I tesori di Angkor . Translated by Wolfgang Hensel).
  • Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . 2nd Edition. River Books Ltd, Bangkok 2003, ISBN 974-8225-27-5 , pp. 117, 118 (English).
  • Maurice Glaize: Les Monuments du groupe d'Angkor . 4th edition. Adrien-Maisonneuve, Paris 1993, ISBN 2-7200-1091-X , p. 128 (French, 285 p., Translation into English by Nils Tremmel [PDF; 8.0 MB ; accessed on August 11, 2011] First edition: Portail, Saigon 1944).
  • Dawn F. Rooney: Angkor . Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples. 6th edition. Odyssey Books & Guides, Hong Kong 2011, ISBN 978-962-217-802-1 , pp. 360 (English).

Web links

Commons : Preah Pithu  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Entry on the UNESCO World Heritage Center website ( English and French ).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . P. 117.
  2. ^ Dawn F. Rooney: Angkor. Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples . P. 360.
  3. ↑ Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . Pp. 11-13.
  4. ↑ a b c d e Maurice Glaize: Les Monuments du groupe d'Angkor . P. 125 of the English translation .
  5. ^ A b Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . Pp. 117, 118.
  6. ^ A b Marilia Albanese: Angkor . P. 246.
  7. ↑ a b c d e Maurice Glaize: Les Monuments du groupe d'Angkor . P. 127 of the English translation .
  8. ↑ John Emigh: Masked Performance: The Play of Self and Other in Ritual and Theater . University of Pennsylvania Press , Philadelphia 1996, ISBN 978-0-8122-1336-2 , pp. 37 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  9. ^ Marilia Albanese: Angkor . P. 24.
  10. ↑ Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . P. 32.
  11. ↑ Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques: Ancient Angkor . P. 31
  12. ↑ a b c Maurice Glaize: Les Monuments du groupe d'Angkor . P. 128 of the English translation .
  13. ^ Marilia Albanese: Angkor . P. 248.
  14. ↑ a b c Marilia Albanese: Angkor. P. 249.

Coordinates: 13 ° 26 ′ 56.2 ″  N , 103 ° 51 ′ 39.2 ″  E

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on August 21, 2017 .