Khmer

In this episode, we explore the history of the Khmer people through the rise, transformation, and legacy of the Angkor-centered Khmer Empire in Cambodia. From the monumental reign of Jayavarman VII, who promoted Mahayana Buddhism and reshaped Angkor with ambitious projects such as the Bayon, to the later shift toward Theravada Buddhism in the 13th century, Khmer history reveals a society of remarkable religious, political, and architectural change. Rather than collapsing suddenly, Angkor’s decline appears to have unfolded gradually as environmental pressures, shifting power structures, and the departure of elites weakened the imperial center. Yet the Khmer people and their cultural world did not disappear: Angkor remained a living sacred landscape, preserving traditions, memory, and religious practice long after the empire’s political fall in the 1400s. Today, ongoing archaeology continues to reveal the sophistication of Khmer water management, temple construction, and urban life, while Angkor endures as a powerful symbol of Khmer identity and cultural achievement.