Editing Khmer architecture (section)

===Bas-relief===
[[Bas-reliefs]] are individual figures, groups of figures, or entire scenes cut into stone walls, not as drawings but as sculpted images projecting from a background. Sculpture in bas-relief is distinguished from sculpture in haut-relief, in that the latter projects farther from the background, in some cases almost detaching itself from it. The Angkorian preferred to work in bas-relief, while their neighbors the [[Art of Champa|Cham]] were partial to haut-relief.

Narrative bas-reliefs are bas-reliefs depicting stories from mythology or history. Until about the 11th century, the Angkorian Khmer confined their narrative bas-reliefs to the space on the [[tympanum (architecture)|tympana]] above doorways. The most famous early narrative bas-reliefs are those on the tympana at the 10th-century temple of [[Banteay Srei]], depicting scenes from [[Hindu mythology]] as well as scenes from the great works of Indian literature, the [[Ramayana]] and the [[Mahabharata]].<ref name="Glaize, p. 36">Glaize, ''Monuments of the Angkor Group'', p. 36.</ref>

By the 12th century, however, the Angkorian artists were covering entire walls with narrative scenes in bas-relief. At [[Angkor Wat]], the external gallery wall is covered with some 12,000 or 13,000 square meters of such scenes, some of them historical, some mythological. Similarly, the outer gallery at the [[Bayon]] contains extensive bas-reliefs documenting the everyday life of the medieval Khmer as well as historical events from the reign of King [[Jayavarman VII]].<ref name="Glaize, p. 36"/>

[[File:Indraforestped01.JPG|thumb|right|A bas-relief in a [[tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] at [[Banteay Srei]] shows [[Indra]] releasing the rains in an attempt to extinguish the fire created by [[Agni]].]]
[[File:Angkor Wat, wall details.JPG|thumb|right|The Battle of [[Kurukshetra]] is the subject of this bas-relief at [[Angkor Wat]].]]
[[File:Bayonmarket01.JPG|right|thumb|This scene from the outer gallery at the Bayon shows Chinese expats negotiating with Khmer merchants at an Angkorean market.]]
The following is a listing of the motifs illustrated in some of the more famous Angkorian narrative bas-reliefs:
* bas-reliefs in the tympana at [[Banteay Srei]] (10th century)
** the duel of the monkey princes [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] and [[Sugriva]], and the intervention of the human hero [[Rama]] on behalf of the latter
** the duel of [[Bhima]] and [[Duryodhana]] at the [[Battle of Kurukshetra]]
** the [[Rakshasa]] king [[Ravana]] shaking Mount Kailasa, upon which sit [[Shiva]] and his [[shakti]]
** [[Kamadeva|Kama]] firing an arrow at [[Shiva]] as the latter sits on Mount Kailasa
** the burning of Khandava Forest by [[Agni]] and [[Indra]]'s attempt to extinguish the flames
* bas-reliefs on the walls of the outer gallery at [[Angkor Wat]] (mid-12th century)
** the Battle of [[Lanka]] between the [[Rakshasas]] and the [[vanaras]] or monkeys
** the court and procession of King [[Suryavarman II]], the builder of Angkor Wat
** the [[Battle of Kurukshetra]] between [[Pandavas]] and [[Kauravas]]
** the judgment of [[Yama]] and the tortures of Hell
** the [[samudra manthan|Churning of the Ocean of Milk]]
** a battle between [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] and [[asuras]]
** a battle between [[Vishnu]] and a force of [[asuras]]
** the conflict between [[Krishna]] and the asura Bana
** the story of the monkey princes [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] and [[Sugriva]]
* bas-reliefs on the walls of the outer and inner galleries at the [[Bayon]] (late 12th century)
** battles on land and sea between [[Khmer people|Khmer]] and [[Cham (Asia)|Cham]] troops
** scenes from the everyday life of [[Angkor]]
** civil strife among the [[Khmer people|Khmer]]
** the legend of the Leper King
** the worship of [[Shiva]]
** groups of dancing [[apsara]]s

[[File:Colonettesbanteaysrei.JPG|thumb|This blind door at [[Banteay Srei]] is flanked by colonettes. Above the door is a [[lintel]], above which is a tympanum with a scene from the [[Mahabharata]].]]