Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Battle of the Gods
& the Demons
The western section of the north gallery depicts the battle between the 21 gods of the
Brahmanic pantheon and various demons. The gods are featured with their traditional at-
tributes and mounts. Vishnu has four arms and is seated on a
garuda
, while Shiva rides a
sacred goose.
BAS-RELIEF
Battle of Lanka
The northern half of the west gallery shows scenes from the
Ramayana
. In the Battle of
Lanka, Rama (on the shoulders of Hanuman), along with his army of monkeys, battles
10-headed, 20-armed Ravana, captor of Rama's beautiful wife Sita. Ravana rides a chariot
drawn by monsters and commands an army of giants.
BAS-RELIEF
GUIDE TO THE GUIDES
Countless books on Angkor have been written over the years, with more and more new titles coming
out, reflecting Angkor's rebirth as one of the world's cultural hot spots. Here are just a few of the best:
A Guide to the Angkor Monuments
(Maurice Glaize) The definitive guide, downloadable for free at
A Passage Through Angkor
(Mark Standen) One of the best photographic records of the temples.
A Pilgrimage to Angkor
(Pierre Loti) One of the most beautifully written books on Angkor, based on
the author's 1910 journey.
Ancient Angkor
(Claude Jacques) Written by one of the foremost scholars on Angkor, this is the
most readable guide to the temples, with photos by Michael Freeman.
Angkor: An Introduction to the Temples
(Dawn Rooney) Probably the most popular contemporary
guide.
Angkor - Heart of an Asian Empire
(Bruno Dagens) The story of the 'discovery' of Angkor, com-
plete with lavish illustrations.
Angkor: Millennium of Glory
(various authors) A fascinating introduction to the history, culture,
sculpture and religion of the Angkorian period.
Angkor: Splendours of the Khmer Civilisation
(Marilia Albanese) Beautifully photographed guide
to the major temples, including some of the more remote places in northern Cambodia.
Khmer Heritage in the Old Siamese Provinces of Cambodia
(Etienne Aymonier) Aymonier jour-
neyed through Cambodia in 1901 and visited many of the major temples.
The Customs of Cambodia
(Chou Ta-Kuan) The only eyewitness account of Angkor, by a Chinese
emissary who spent a year at the Khmer capital in the late 13th century.
