The Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs: A Khmer Empire Epic in Stone

Lucas and Luna examine the extraordinary bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat, focusing on the Battle of Kurukshetra panel from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. They discuss how Suryavarman II commissioned the temple in the 12th century, the reliefs' narrative techniques, and what they reveal about Khmer warfare, dress, and cosmology. The episode also touches on the Battle of Lanka from the Ramayana and the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, exploring how these scenes served as political allegory and religious instruction. Lucas explains the reliefs' symbolism, the identity of the army figures, and the contrast between the deities' eternal battle and the historical campaigns of Suryavarman II. A natural donation appeal ties the preservation of these reliefs to listener support. #AngkorWat #BasReliefs #SuryavarmanII #Kurukshetra #Mahabharata #Ramayana #ChurningOfTheOceanOfMilk #KhmerEmpire #HinduCosmology #Vaishnavism #Vishnu #BattleOfLanka #KhmerArt #StoneCarving #CambodiaHistory #Angkor #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo