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of the Royal Geographical Society of London.
Mouhot had set sail for Bangkok in April 1858,
accompanied by his dog Tine-tine, to gather
plant and animal specimens from the region for
European collectors.
Mouhot spent three months in Angkor, ex-
ploring the ruins, sketching its temples, and re-
cording his impressions in his diaries—not only
of Angkor itself, but of the Khmer people as well:
In the province still bearing the name
of Ongkor... ruins of such grandeur...
at the first view, one is filled with pro-
found admiration, and cannot but ask
what has become of this powerful race,
so civilized, so enlightened, the authors
of these gigantic works?This intimate vision of Angkor, accompanied by
Mouhot’s evocative drawings, was published in
1864 and drew European attention to the ancient
Cambodian capital. In 1867 a French expedition
arrived in the area, ostensibly to chart the course
of the Mekong River. One of the members was a
promising young artist named Louis Delaporte.
His idealized illustrations of Angkor—includ-
ed in two publications produced by the expe-
dition—helped cement the popularity of the
temples in the Western mind. Reproductions
of Cambodian art were exhibited at the popular
World Exhibitions between 1867 and 1922. At
the 1931 Paris Colonial Exhibition, a spectacular
replica of the Angkor Wat temple was erected.
The restoration of the temples, which began in
1907, opened the latest chapter in Angkor’s long
story. Since then, the complex called Angkor
Archaeological Park has become one of the rich-
est, most important archaeological sites in the
world. In 1992 it was established as a UNESCO
World Heritage site for its cultural influence.
Today Angkor Wat is also essential to Cambo-
dia’s economic prosperity, as it continues to be
one of the nation’s biggest attractions. Even in
the 21st century, it’s hard not to see the value of
an epic 12th-century vision of eternity.
TIM LAMAN/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICSPECIALIZING IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, VERONICA
WALKER IS A POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI, FINLAND.DEVAS AND ASURAS
Grimacing asuras (demons) line one
side of the approach to the South
Gate of Angkor Thom. Opposite
them is a row of devas, benvevolent
Hindu deities. Both the devas and
asuras are perched on the back of a
serpent, called a naga.Angkor and the Khmer Civilization, 2nd Edition
Michael D. Coe, Thames & Hudson, 2018.
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