Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c11.7

c11.7

But starting from the normal Indian type there was a considerable evolution of the temple architecture, particularly in Cambodia in the Angkor period. Here we find the addition of three new features, *viz* the galleries, the pyramidal construction in several stages, and high central towers, sometimes capped by four human heads facing the four cardinal directions. The gallery consists of a long narrow chamber with a vaulted roof supported by a wall on one side and a series of pillars on the other. Sometimes it has a *verandah*, with a half-vaulted roof of lower height, also supported by columns. These galleries surrounded the main shrine on all sides, leaving a vacant space between the two. As they were repeated at each higher stage, their walls furnished considerable space for decorative sculptures and were fully utilised for this purpose. These features are shown at their best in the Angkor Vat which may be regarded as the *chef d' oeuvre* of Kambuja art, though sometimes this honour is given to Bayon Temple, constructed on the same principle. An idea of the massive grandeur of these temples may be obtained from the following measurements of Angkor Vat. The moat or ditch surrounding the temple and running close to its boundary walls is more than 650 ft. wide. This is spanned by a broad stone causeway leading to a gate in the wall of enclosure. This wall, which completely surrounds the temple, has a total length of two miles and a half. The broad paved avenue which runs from the western gateway to the first gallery is 520 yds. long and raised 7 ft. above the ground. The first gallery measures 265 yds. east to west and 224 from north to south, with a total running length of nearly 1,000 yds. The central tower, on the third or highest gallery, rises to a height of more than 210 ft.