Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c44.11.2

c44.11.2

That Lopburi was of importance even in the pre-Khmer times is evident from its records, but as the centre of Khmer sovereignty in Siam from A.D. 1000 it reached its highest state Of the two principal buildings here having Cambodian affinities that of the temple of Wat Mahadhatu, and attributed to the twelfth century, is the most distinctive. Within a walled enclosure, and consisting of a sanctuary tower with its attached portico or mandapa, its general appearance conforms to that of certain mediaeval temples in India. And although the architectural treatment combines elements recalling both the Indo-Aryan and Khmer styles, it is no slavish copy of either of these modes, but a definitely original effort It is true the tower or sikhara, in the main, follows the outlines and also the substance of the Angkor type, and to a lesser degree those of the temples of India, but there any similarity to either of these styles ends. Certainly the massive arch-shaped tympanums rising above the openings have their counterpart in the Cambodian buildings, and the excessively high moulded plinth may have been derived from the same source, but a similarly tall stepped basement was characteristic of the contemporary temples at Khajuraho in Central India. It is, however, when the plastic surface forms, especially those on the tower, are studied, that the self-originated nature of the conception becomes apparent.