Stories etched in stone
© Artie Photography (Artie Ng)/Moment/Getty Images
Angkor Wat has been an important Buddhist center through most of its nearly 900-year history, so why is it covered in stone-carved scenes of Hindu mythology? The complex was built in 1150 CE under king Suryavarman II, a devotee of the Khmer Empire's traditional Hinduism. Within just a few decades—two kings and an enemy invasion later—the new Buddhist monarch Jayavarman VII began rededicating the temple to his own religion. Though some Hindu elements were removed, many remain: Bas-reliefs depict multitudes of apsaras and other Hindu figures, covering more than 12,000 square feet of the structure.
An ancient arena
Sacred silence
A vast past pantry
Llama in a lofty locale
An ancient excavation
Nobody's home
A Tatooine scene?
A granary far, far away?
