Khmer Mythology

The Khmer empire flourished for at least 500 years. During that time, thousands of temples and shrines were carved with intricate stone reliefs. This study explores these stories in stone with explanations of each scene of all the major reliefs in Cambodia which may be visited.

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The Khmer empire, which once extended across the whole of present-day Cambodia as far west as Burma and north into Laos, flourished for at least 500 years. During that time, many thousands of temples and shrines were carved with intricate stone reliefs of immense size, complexity and artistry. The author of this volume presents a study of these "stories in stone", explaining each scene, identifying the main features of each narrative and locating all the major reliefs in Cambodia which may be easily visited. Sites such as Angkor Wat and the Bayon glorify, not just the gods, the Buddha or Hindu epics, but also the wars and battles of kings, providing an insight into the lives of the Khmer people.