KHMER TEMPLES: THE UNFINISHED MOTIFS

Abstract

Many Khmer stone temples are decorated with magnificent, but incomplete, motifs. The unfinished nature of these motifs can be viewed as a reflection of their society and culture, in that time period. The selected temples that I used as case studies are; Prasat Muang Tum, Prasat Ban Pluang, Prasat Ta Muan Thom, Prasat Puey Noi, Prasat Phnomwan and Prasat Phnom Rung. All of these temples were built in the style of Baphuon-Angkok Wat and date between the tenth and eleventh centuries.

The core results of my study are threefold

1. The craftsmen put a high significance on the direction that the stonework faced. Front facing and eastern facing are the most important sides, and these have completed decorations. The back and western facing stonework is left unfinished, as these directions were deemed less important.

2. The craftsman ‘ranked’ the architecture as per levels of nobility, for example, the main sanctuary is the most significant and highest ranked (the most noble building) and this complex is completely decorated with the most beautiful decorations and motifs. No other building ranks so nobly, or received such artisanship.

3. The unfinished motifs reflect both the quality of the craftsmen and the associated management system. We can say that the quality deteriorates proportionately with the quantity of craftsmen associated with any particular motif (many craftsmen working together can create magnificent motifs, but a lesser number of craftsmen working in a specific area create lesser quality motifs). A process called ‘caravan work’ is when craftsmen are forced to abandon their current motifs to work on a new site, thus leaving the previous motif Incomplete. This process of ‘caravan work’ was the root cause behind the deterioration in quality of many motifs.