Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-22
The Forgotten Ruins of Anskor.
fYouth,s Companion.l

The mystery or the memories usual
Is connected with ruins have power
full appeal to the Imagination, but the
crumbling remains at Angkor, 1ndo-
China, described in the National
Geographic Magazine, appeal to the
architect quite as much as to the
Archaeological. Situated in the in
terror of Cambodia, in the midst of
treacherous swamps, submerged for
ests, and almost impossible lakes. the
ruins have kept the secret of their
origin. All that is known is that
they were built. probably in the
twelfth century, by the Khmers, a.
race now extinct.
The first glimpse the visitor gets of
the ruins is when a rounded tower APP
pears through the trees mile or so
distant. 1t is Angkor Wat, the best
preserved and most ornate of all the
ruins that are scattered about the
plain. A moat surrounding the tenn
pie tthe word wat means a temple) is
crossed by stone causeway that leads
to the main entrance. That entrance
is itself a massive tower. thanked by
two others only little smaller. set in
at the inclosing wall. The whole in
closure is about 17e acres. Passing
through the entrance, you see before
you the elevated stone causeway,
flanked by several small temples lead
ing up to the wat in the distance.
The entire structure, or group of
structures is seated fiat on a level
plain, unaspiring and almost uninspir-
ing. 1t Is not until you enter into
the galleries and begin to measure
lIctA 10 hsaro ma
grandeur and impressiveness of the
group of buildings begins to make it
self felt. Those same rounded towers
now spring aloft, and the inner temple
itself is raised above a surrounding
gallery, which is in turn terraced
above an outer gallery. These two
encompassing galleries and the cruel
form temple building are the main de-
tails in the ground plan of the wat.
The material used in the construc-
ton is a grayish sandstone that stands
weathering admirably. Where por-
tions of the decorative detail have
been affectionately stroked by admir-
ing hands. the stone is as smooth as
polished marble. The effect Of the
color is certainly as sombre as it could
we'll be.
How were those tons and tons OF
stone brought from Prom Coulen, the
nearest quarry, nineteen miles away?
To drag them overland would have
been impossible. If that submerged
forest could tell its own history. we
should probably hear of time when
both Prom Coulen and Angkor were
situated on the edge of the lake Tonic
Sap, and the stone barges went to and
fro between them.
The f1imsy shacks of the bronzes, or
priests, are clustered about the base of
the wat. The droning of their voices
sounds almost constantly on the hot,
drowsy air as they read or study
aloud No wonder that, With only
| the bronzes to look after the temple, 1t
has long been given up to vegetation.
and bats, and pigeons-and silence. 1t
is a silence so lonesome and deathlike
| that the visitor shudders in turning
corner to find himself confronted by
| stony Buddha with uplifted hands.
which seems to be imploring that the
repose of centuries be not disturbed.
The amount of decorative work done
on the structure is impressive. Inside
and outside, and from top to bottom,
ii is a mass of carving in stone. The
square columns. almost infinite in
number, bear the best specimens or
the decorative art at Angkor. 1t is
doubtful If, at it's best. that art can be
often surpassed by the best that can
| be found in this classic remains. Just
a few inches from the bottom is
usually to be found a Buddha, and
above that a tracery in stone, the pat
tern of which is as delicate and grace
full as fine Embroidery.
The other ruins at Angkor, some
larger, some smaller than the temple,
all yield beautiful works in stone, al
| though with most of these remains,
time and the jungle have wrought
greater havoc. Who the Khmers, the
builders of these ediflees, were, or why
| they disappeared, no one is able to
answer with certainty. Some say
they were followers of banished
prince of Delhi who founded a new
kingdom in Cambodia The truth will
probably not be known until the
numerous inscriptions on the ruins at
Angkor are deciphered.