This our entry in Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Letters I or J.
Jayavarman VII, who is generally regarded as the most powerful of the Khmer kings of Cambodia, was a Mahayana Buddhist. The Buddha figures in the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom are modeled after him.

Jayavarman VII (1125–1218) was a king of the Kymer Empire in what is now Cambodia, ruling from 1181 to 1218, approximately. During his reign, he built temples in the Angkor complex near present-day Siem Reap. Three of his temples that are most familiar to tourists are these:
- Ta Prohm, built to honor his mother
- Preah Khan, built to honor his father
- Bayon, built to honor himself, and the Angkor Thom city surrounding it
Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, already existed when Jayavarman VII built his temples.
This looks like the face been carved on blocks of stone and assembled like a jigsaw. Much different from statues that are carved from a single rock.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The blocks were assembled in place and then the face was carved, as if it were a single rock. No leeway for an oops!
LikeLike
Hah! That is of course the logical way of doing things. Guess they decided that the wall was to bare after building and needed some wall art 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Angor Wat has been on my list for too long now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have been twice and there is still much left to see.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent photo for this week Thanks for playing along.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I look forward to your contests.
LikeLike