History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s15: Pyramid Temples.
History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s15
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Pyramid Temples.
v2.c33.s15.1
The finest example of the pyramid temples is that of Bapuon, immediately south of the palace in Angkor Thom. It bears considerable resemblance to the temple of Bayon, but the height of the second and third platforms is much greater than in the latter; thus whilst the first and second platforms of Bayon are respectively 10 and 26 ft. in height, those of Bapuon are 21 and 37, and the third platform is 48 ft. high. The Brahmâ masks were not carved on the twenty-eight towers of Bapuon, nor are the walls of the corridor enriched with the bas-relief sculpture of Bayon and Angkor Vât. The richness in beauty of the carving, however, is quite as fine as that of Bayon, and the arabesque scrolls of the architrave at Bassak (Woodcut No. 471), and of the pilasters and vertical panels elsewhere bear much resemblance to 12th century work French Gothic. The Chinese traveller of the 13th century already referred to,¹ after mentioning the central tower of Bayon, refers to a second example surmounted by a tower of gold copper, much higher than that first named, and adds: “in the palace enclosure is another golden tower, which can only be that of Phimêanakas, the pyramid temple,” in the centre of the palace enclosure in Angkor Thom. The lower platform of this temple measures 131 ft. by 82 ft., and is 8 ft. high, the second is 23 ft. high, and the third 20 ft.; the upper platform is surrounded by a vaulted corridor barely 4 ft. wide inside, with rectangular windows on each side; only the lofty substructure of the sanctuary remains, which it is thought may have carried a lofty tower in wood covered with copper and gilded.
v2.c33.s15.2
¹ Page 373.
v2.c33.s15.3
Of simpler types of the pyramidal temple, the example on the hill of Bakheng, south of Angkor Thom, is interesting, owing to the small towers, thirty-six in number, built within the first enclosure and outside the central pyramid; constructed originally to locate a statue, such as remain are utilised now as columbaria in which the ashes of parents are deposited. The pyramid consists of five platforms, on each of which are small circular turrets about 15 ft. high; on the upper platform was a cruciform sanctuary of importance, but now in such a state of ruin that its plan cannot be well determined. In the temple of Ta Kêo, east of Angkor Thom, there are two enclosures, the inner one with corridor and tower on each side of the entrance gopura, and in the centre a pyramid of three storeys with a lofty sanctuary and four other towers. The symmetrical arrangement of the towers in this temple and in those at Bakheng and the similarity of design show that all date from the same period, and that they were probably built as memorial structures.