Clothes Carved into Stone. An Analysis of the Figural Representations of a 10th - century Shaivist Sanctuary, Banteay Srei

Abstract

In early Angkorian temples, within each individual site, the human figures depicted on the walls were shown wearing more or less identical clothing; in Banteay Srei, however, there were several substantiallydifferent types of clothing (and other aspects of attire) in evidence in the carvings –this change formed the starting point of my investigation. My primary aim was to find explanations for the similarities and differences that manifest themselves in thesculpted attire.Having directly observed the bas-reliefs at Banteay Srei, which largely confirmed the system of categories first established by Jean Boisselier(La statuaire khmère et son evolution. Publ. EFEO, 37, 2, Saïgon.1955.), I later saw the female figures on a pediment from Banteay Srei which is now in the Musée Guimet in Paris, and realised that their garments could not be easily sorted into any of Boisselier’s categories; this prompted me to look for further clarification.Professor Claude Jacques drew my attention to the fact that this question had not yet been formally explored. I therefore decided to concentrate my research on the temple complex at Banteay Srei.This paper presents the results of a comprehensive examination of the unique features of the predominantly figural bas-reliefs found at the monument, carried out using a research method concentrating on the themes of the carvings and on the attire depicted in them, much of which is to be regarded as without precedent. The backbone of the research was provided by a database systemising the attire visible in the figural bas-reliefs, derived mostly from on-site research and documentation.