Cambodia's Temple Kingdom | The Mark Of Empire | Angkor

Summary

Join Peter Lee, a Singaporean scholar of Peranakan descent, on a journey through Southeast Asia's rich cultural tapestry. In this episode, he explores Cambodia's historical wonders, including the mighty Angkor Empire. Discover the engineering marvels of Angkor Wat, the intricate road and water systems, and the vibrant cultural traditions that have endured for centuries. From ancient temple carvings to modern festivals, this documentary highlights how Cambodia's past continues to shape its national identity and inspire its people today.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Southeast Asia is a region of immense cultural and religious diversity, as exemplified by Peter Lee's mixed heritage.
• 🏺 Peter Lee's passion for collecting artifacts highlights the rich history and narratives of Southeast Asia, such as the European fairy tale depicted on an Indonesian batik.
• 🏰 Cambodia's Angkor Empire was a powerful civilization that dominated Southeast Asia for 600 years, known for its sophisticated city planning and religious monuments.
• 🌳 Phnom Kulen, a sacred mountain in Cambodia, is believed to be the birthplace of the Angkor Empire and has been a significant pilgrimage site for centuries.
• 🌊 Water management was crucial for the Angkor Empire, with the River of a Thousand Lingas and the West Baray reservoir showcasing their engineering prowess.
• 🌾 The Angkor Empire's success was also attributed to their agricultural innovations, particularly the cultivation of 'floating rice' which adapted to the region's extreme weather cycles.
• 🛣️ The extensive network of roads built by the Angkor Empire facilitated trade and communication, contributing to their economic and political power.
• 🏞️ The annual monsoon floods and the Tonle Sap Lake's unique water cycle have been integral to Cambodia's environment and the ancient Khmer's way of life.
• 🏛️ The temple of Preah Khan, built by Jayavarman VII, was a central hub of administration, learning, and public service, reflecting the complex society of the Angkor Empire.
• 🕍 Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, is a testament to the architectural and engineering achievements of the ancient Khmer, blending religious symbolism with practical water management.

Q & A

What is the significance of Southeast Asia in terms of cultural diversity?

Southeast Asia is one of the most diverse places on the planet, with many different cultures and religions living side by side, reflecting a rich tapestry of human history and interaction.

Who is Peter Lee and what is his background?

Peter Lee is a Singaporean scholar of Peranakan descent, which means he has Chinese heritage with a touch of Malay blood. He celebrates his mixed heritage and is passionate about collecting artifacts that offer fresh narratives.

What is the connection between a European fairy tale and a batik from Indonesia?

The connection is that the European fairy tale is depicted on a batik from Indonesia, showcasing the cultural exchange and blending of narratives across different regions.

What was the significance of the Angkor Empire in Southeast Asia?

The Angkor Empire was a powerful civilization that dominated Southeast Asia for 600 years. It was known for its sophisticated cities and the world's largest religious monument, demonstrating their mastery in architecture and stone carving.

Why is Phnom Kulen considered sacred in Cambodia?

Phnom Kulen is considered sacred in Cambodia because it is believed to be the birthplace of the great Angkor Empire. It has been an important pilgrimage site for centuries.

What is the significance of Jayavarman II in Khmer history?

Jayavarman II was a Khmer prince who spent many years abroad but returned to unite Khmer for the first time. He proclaimed himself the Chakravartin, or Ruler of the Universe, and his actions laid the foundation for the Angkor Empire.

How did the ancient Khmer manage water in their empire?

The ancient Khmer managed water through a complex system of canals, reservoirs, and temples. They carved lingas into the rocky riverbed to sanctify the water, and built structures like the West Baray to store and distribute water for irrigation.

What was the role of 'floating rice' in the success of the Angkor Empire?

Floating rice was a crucial agricultural innovation for the Angkor Empire. This strain of rice could grow rapidly to stay above floodwaters, ensuring a stable food supply and supporting the empire's growth.

How did the ancient Khmer build their roads to last for centuries?

The ancient Khmer used a technique called soil compacting to build their roads and temple foundations. This method allowed the roads to withstand the contraction and expansion of the soil during dry and wet seasons, contributing to their longevity.

What was the role of Tonle Sap Lake in the Angkor Empire?

Tonle Sap Lake played a crucial role in the Angkor Empire due to its annual flood cycle. The lake expanded during the monsoon season, providing a vast area for fishing and agriculture, and was a key factor in the empire's economic and food security.

How did the Angkor Empire's decline begin and what factors contributed to it?

The decline of the Angkor Empire began with a combination of religious, socio-political changes, and climatic conditions. The shift from Hinduism to Tantric Buddhism, internal rebellions, and external attacks, along with environmental challenges like mega droughts, led to the empire's gradual weakening and eventual collapse.

What is the significance of Angkor Wat in Cambodia today?

Angkor Wat is not only a world icon of Southeast Asian history but also a symbol of Cambodian identity. It is the country's biggest tourist attraction, drawing over 2 million visitors annually, and serves as a beacon of the nation's past glory.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Southeast Asia's Cultural Mosaic and Peter Lee's Journey

Peter Lee, a Singaporean scholar of Peranakan descent, introduces his passion for collecting artifacts that tell new stories about Southeast Asia's diverse cultures and histories. His journey takes him to Cambodia to explore the Angkor Empire's impact on the region's collective identity. The empire, renowned for its sophisticated city and the world's largest religious monument, exemplifies the region's cultural interconnectivity and the legacy that shapes modern Cambodia.

05:01

🏰 The Birth of the Angkor Empire and its Agricultural Innovations

The narrative delves into the origins of the Angkor Empire, beginning with the story of Jayavarman II, who returned from abroad to unite the Khmer people and proclaimed himself the Chakravartin. The empire's agricultural innovations are highlighted, particularly the cultivation of a special strain of 'floating rice' that could adapt to the region's extreme weather cycles, ensuring food security and contributing to the empire's prosperity.

10:02

🌾 Engineering Marvels and the Expansion of the Angkor Empire

This section discusses the Angkor Empire's engineering feats, including the construction of the West Baray, the largest hand-cut reservoir in the world, and an extensive network of canals that quadrupled grain harvests. The empire's road-building techniques, which involved soil compacting to create durable pathways, are also explored, illustrating how these infrastructures facilitated trade, political power, and cultural influence across Southeast Asia.

15:05

🚣‍♂️ Adapting to Nature: The Khmer People's Resilience and Ingenuity

The script describes the Khmer people's adaptation to their environment, focusing on the unique challenges and solutions related to the Tonle Sap Lake's annual flood cycle. The villagers' ingenuity in building elevated homes and their reliance on the lake for sustenance, such as shrimp fishing, are highlighted. The narrative also touches on the ancient Khmer's societal complexity and the role of temples like Preah Khan in administration and learning.

20:05

🏛️ The Temple of Preah Khan and the Epicenter of Ancient Khmer Society

The role of Preah Khan as a central hub for learning, administration, and public service during the height of the Angkor Empire is examined. The temple's significance in the empire's social structure is underscored by the inscriptions detailing the contributions of public servants. The temple's architectural and artistic elements, including the Garudas and the temple's role in Jayavarman VII's reunification of the divided empire, are also discussed.

25:06

🕌 The Symbolism and Engineering of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat's religious symbolism and engineering prowess are explored, with a focus on its design that mirrors the Hindu universe and its moat that serves both religious and practical flood control purposes. The temple's construction techniques, underground water management, and the artistic skill evident in the decorative stonework and carvings are highlighted, showcasing the empire's might and the inner beliefs of its people.

30:17

💃 The Apsara and the Cultural Legacy of the Angkor Empire

The narrative turns to the cultural legacy of the Angkor Empire, particularly the apsara celestial dancers, whose images are carved into the walls of Angkor Wat. The modern adaptation of the apsara dance and its significance in Cambodian national identity are discussed. The dance's connection to the temple's carvings and its role in the annual dragon boat race, a celebration of the Khmer people's vibrant living traditions, are also examined.

35:18

🛕 The Bayon Temple and the Shift to Tantric Buddhism

The script discusses the reign of King Jayavarman VII and his influence on the Angkor Empire's religious landscape through the construction of the Bayon Temple and the adoption of Tantric Buddhism. The temple's unique stone faces, said to resemble the king, and the practice of forbidden rituals to attain enlightenment are explored. The shift in faith and its political implications, which ultimately contributed to the empire's decline, are also covered.

40:34

🏹 The Fall of the Angkor Empire and its Lasting Legacy

The final paragraph examines the decline and fall of the Angkor Empire, attributing it to a combination of religious and socio-political changes, climatic factors, and external threats. The narrative details the archaeological evidence of a gradual population decline and the city's eventual abandonment. The rediscovery of Angkor and its transformation into a symbol of Cambodian national pride and identity are also highlighted, along with the modern challenges of tourism and conservation efforts.

🌳 The Conservation of Angkor and the Celebration of Cambodian Traditions

The script concludes with a focus on the present-day efforts to conserve the ancient city of Angkor and the vibrant celebration of Cambodian traditions. The community's involvement in cleaning up the modern city of Siem Reap and the annual dragon boat race, which keeps alive the ancient Khmer paddling technique, are discussed. The narrative emphasizes the enduring significance of Angkor in Cambodian culture and its role in shaping the nation's modern identity.

Keywords

💡Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is a geographical region comprising diverse countries and cultures. In the video, it is depicted as a melting pot of cultures and religions, which is exemplified by the presenter's own mixed heritage. The region's diversity is a central theme, highlighting the rich cultural tapestry that has shaped its history and identity.

💡Peranakan

Peranakan refers to the descendants of Chinese immigrants who assimilated into the local cultures of Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The term is used in the script to illustrate the presenter's mixed ethnic background, embodying the cultural fusion that is characteristic of the region.

💡Angkor Empire

The Angkor Empire was a powerful and influential kingdom that ruled over much of Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 15th century. The script delves into the empire's legacy, including its sophisticated city planning, monumental architecture, and the religious and cultural practices that continue to influence modern Cambodia.

💡Batik

Batik is a traditional textile art form using wax and dye on fabric, commonly associated with Indonesia. In the script, a batik depicting a European fairy tale exemplifies the cultural exchange and the blending of narratives that took place in Southeast Asia, showcasing the region's openness to external influences.

💡Phnom Kulen

Phnom Kulen is a sacred mountain in Cambodia, believed to be the birthplace of the Khmer Empire. The script describes it as a significant pilgrimage site, emphasizing the spiritual and historical importance of this location in shaping the identity and beliefs of the Cambodian people.

💡Lingas

Lingas are sacred fertility symbols in Hinduism, often associated with the god Shiva. In the context of the video, lingas carved into the riverbed symbolize the sanctification of water, reflecting the ancient Khmer's reverence for water and its crucial role in their agricultural practices.

💡Floating Rice

Floating rice is a special strain of rice that can adapt to changing water levels, allowing it to grow rapidly and stay above floodwaters. The script highlights its importance to the Angkor Empire, as it provided a stable food supply, contributing to the empire's prosperity and growth.

💡West Baray

The West Baray is a massive hand-cut reservoir built by the ancient Khmer, serving as a testament to their engineering prowess. The script explains its function in water management, which was vital for irrigating crops and ensuring food security during periods of drought.

💡Tantric Buddhism

Tantric Buddhism is a form of Buddhism that incorporates rituals and practices aimed at achieving enlightenment in one's current life. The script discusses its adoption by King Jayavarman VII, which marked a significant shift in the empire's religious and political landscape, ultimately influencing its decline.

💡Bayon Temple

The Bayon Temple, built by King Jayavarman VII, is renowned for its many stone faces, believed to represent the king himself as the embodiment of the Buddha. The script uses the temple as an example of the king's influence and the empire's architectural and religious achievements.

💡Apsaras

Apsaras are celestial dancers depicted in the carvings of Angkor Wat and are a symbol of Cambodian culture. The script describes their modern adaptation in dance, illustrating the enduring legacy of the Angkor Empire's artistic and cultural heritage in contemporary Cambodia.

💡Dragon Boat Race

The dragon boat race is a traditional Cambodian event with roots in the ancient Khmer Empire. The script mentions it as a living tradition that brings communities together and is deeply connected to the water cycles and the historical significance of water in Cambodian life.

Highlights

Southeast Asia's cultural and religious diversity exemplified by Peter Lee's mixed heritage.

Peter Lee's passion for collecting artefacts that provide fresh narratives on history.

The depiction of a European fairy tale on an Indonesian batik showcases cultural blending.

The exploration of Southeast Asia's empires and their influence on collective identity.

The Angkor Empire's sophisticated city and the world's largest religious monument.

The sacred mountain of Phnom Kulen as the birthplace of the Angkor Empire.

Jayavarman II's unification of Khmer and his proclamation as the Chakravartin.

The significance of water and the River of a Thousand Lingas in ancient Khmer culture.

The development of 'floating rice' as a key to the Angkor Empire's food security.

Engineering feats of the ancient Khmer with the West Baray reservoir.

The role of roads in extending Angkor's political and cultural influence.

Adaptation to the annual flood event of Tonle Sap Lake by the ancient Khmer.

The temple of Preah Khan as a center of learning and administration.

The construction and symbolism of Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument.

The artistic skill of the ancient Khmer depicted in the vivid carvings of Angkor Wat.

The apsara dance, a modern adaptation inspired by the carvings of Angkor Wat.

Jayavarman VII's extensive building projects and the expansion of the empire.

The Bayon Temple's stone faces, a symbol of King Jayavarman VII's divine connection.

The decline of Angkor Empire due to religious, socio-political, and climatic changes.

The rediscovery and conservation of Angkor as a symbol of Cambodian identity.

Community efforts in cleaning up the modern city of Siem Reap to preserve the ancient site.

The annual dragon boat race, a living tradition rooted in the Angkor Empire's history.

Transcripts

Southeast Asia is one of the most diverse places on the planet.

With so many different cultures,

and religions...

all living side by side.

And I'm an example of just that.

My name is Peter Lee.

I'm a Singaporean scholar of Peranakan descent;

Chinese with a dash of Malay blood.

I celebrate being mixed up.

It's in my DNA.

My passion is collecting artefacts

that offer a fresh narrative.

It's a European fairy tale,

but it is depicted on a batik from Indonesia.

How wonderful is that?

I'm setting off on a new journey,

travelling further back in time.

Oh my god!

We see this everywhere in Southeast Asia.

To explore how the region's mighty empires have shaped our collective identity.

This is a gold mine!

No culture exists in isolation.

In this episode, I'm visiting Cambodia,

a land of abundance.

A thousand years ago,

the Angkor Empire founded one of the most sophisticated cities

in the ancient world.

And built the world's largest religious monument.

They were masters of bringing stone to life.

I think if they let go, I'm going to fall.

I'm exploring how the Angkor Empire

dominated Southeast Asia for 600 years...

The male ascetic cutting his own fingers into the fire.

...as the most powerful civilisation of the medieval age.

That was really fun.

To see what remains of a great peopleů

Just look at the size of them.

and how their legacy...

shapes the nation today.

I'm visiting Phnom Kulen,

the most sacred mountain in Cambodia.

For centuries,

this has been an important pilgrimage site for the people here.

You can't come to the top of Phnom Kulen without getting a blessing.

I feel sanctified.

This mountain is such a spiritual place

because legend has it

it was where the great Angkor Empire was born

1,200 years ago.

Look at this amazing view!

There aren't many written records left from the earliest period of Khmer history.

But a stone inscription discovered in the late 19th century

tells of a Khmer prince who spent many years in a foreign land

described as Java.

The story goes...

Jayavarman II was the son of a nobleman

who lived abroad for most of his life.

But in 790, at the age of 20,

he returned to unite Khmer for the first time.

He travelled the land making alliances with competing factions.

In 802, he came to the Kulen hills for a special ritual...

to proclaim himself the Chakravartin,

or Ruler of the Universe.

And this was the universe he ruled:

a 1,000-square-kilometre plain

on the edge of Southeast Asia's largest lake.

This is a land of extreme weather cycles.

In the monsoon season, between May and November,

water levels can rise over 10 metres.

But for the rest of the year,

drought takes hold

and temperatures can soar to 40 degrees Celsius.

Because of this, water became the focus of the ancient Khmer.

These symbols carved into the rocky riverbed are called lingas,

and are sacred fertility symbols

associated with the Hindu god Shiva.

And there are so many of them here,

the reason why this river is called the River of a Thousand Lingas.

The thinking behind the carvings was that as the water flowed over them,

it became sanctified.

It later merged downstream with the Siem Reap River

into the paddy fields of Angkor.

They were almost like the spiritual water purifiers for the entire region,

and they remain so today.

But sacred waters aren't enough to make an empire.

To succeed, Angkor needed a stable supply of food.

And the solution was an amazing strain of rice.

To find out more, I'm helping in a paddy field

with some good old-fashioned weeding.

Here!

I am here in Win's rice field to pull out these long grasses called 'salaptier',

which means 'duckwing grass'.

I love these very simple occupations, it really clears my mind.

So I'm going to be busy,

happily busy.

Every year, the monsoon flood brings fresh nutrients to the soil,

making it extremely fertile.

But with the annual deluge of the monsoon,

growing rice here is a challenge.

That's so amazing.

So this is an ancient grain that can respond to the changing water levels.

Known as "floating rice",

these plants can grow as much as 10 centimetres a day

to a height of about 6 metres,

fast enough to stay above floodwaters.

The grain was key to the early success of the Angkor Empire,

allowing the fledgling kingdom to secure enough food for its people.

But to truly succeed,

the ancient Khmer needed not just to adapt to changes in the water level,

but to control it.

This is the West Mebon temple.

What I can see here is this incredibly beautiful pond

with steps going down

and a dramatic walkway that would have risen above the water

to a central shrine in the middle.

It must have been all arranged to ensure that water is always present here.

The ancient Khmer believed all life came from the sea of creation.

And surrounding the temple is an enormous reservoir

that represents this mythical ocean.

Built in the 11th century,

the West Baray is over 2 kilometres wide and 8 kilometres long,

making it the biggest hand-cut reservoir in the world.

A thousand years on, it still holds close to 50 billion litres of water,

which is used to irrigate the area's crops.

It's a remnant of the ancient Khmer's engineering mastery

that allowed them to weather their yearly droughts.

The West Baray was part of a hugely complex system of canals and reservoirs

that fed into the city of Angkor and its rice fields.

The result was a quadrupling of the grain harvest,

which was transported along canals and rivers

to the furthest corners of the empire.

The result was food security, and a surplus of rice for trade,

which became the economic foundation of Angkor

and propelled the empire into greatness.

But to extend their influence further,

Angkor needed a more direct means of transport:

roads.

This is a 1,000-year-old pathway.

To learn how it was built to survive so many centuries,

I'm joining a team of builders, led by Sopheap An.

This technique is known as soil compacting

and was used by the Khmer to build their roads and temple foundations.

Okay, so I have to keep pounding until I hear this...

brighter, more solid sound, right?

This technique allowed Angkor's roads

to withstand the contraction and expansion of the soil

during the dry and wet seasons.

It's incredible how the simple technique of compacting sand

can build the foundation that lasts for millennia.

The Khmer relied on basic tools and sensory techniques

to build a vast network of roads across the entire region,

so different from the technologies we rely on today.

By the 11th century, Angkor's kings had built an extensive network of roads,

some of which are still used today.

I am travelling on a dirt road on this charming ox-cart

which has been used for about a millennia here.

The road is as straight as an arrow,

just like the great Roman roads in Europe.

I can see endless rice fields,

water buffaloesů

and it must have looked just like this in the Angkor period.

This was a super highway of that time.

People travelled like this for days.

It's quite comfortable now but, to be honest,

I don't know how I'd feel after a few days.

Six main arteries stretch for over 1,000 kilometres.

To the west, to modern Thailand, an important salt-producing region.

To the north, to the access point of the Mekong River,

where rice and fish were traded with neighbouring kingdoms.

And east, to the old capital, an important centre of learning.

This network of roads helped to extend Angkor's political power

and cultural influence across the region.

But to become a true regional powerhouse,

the Angkor Empire first needed to overcome

the largest annual flood event

brought about by Southeast Asia's largest river.

I want to know how the ancient Khmer adapted to survive in their environment.

Near the ancient capital of Angkor

lies Southeast Asia's largest body of freshwater,

Tonle Sap Lake.

I'm helping fisherman Thai to check his nets and bring in his catch.

The net is really fine so the fish gets caught in it

and you have to gently tug it out because it also has really sharp fins on the side.

What would you consider a good catch?

Every year, something amazing happens here.

The monsoon floods the country

and expands the lake to five times its normal size,

flooding over 7,000 square kilometres.

Then, in the dry season, the flow of water reverses

and the lake empties back into the Mekong.

This annual ebb and flow has seen the lake nicknamed

the 'Beating Heart of Cambodia'.

I'm travelling along a river running out of the lake

to the village of Kompong Khleang

which is built 15 metres off the ground.

In the wet season, the lake would rise

taking the water to just below the level of these homes.

Just look at these!

It's like a surreal fortress!

I've never seen anything like it.

I want to see how its residents survive in such an extreme environment.

Oh my goodness!

Look at this view!

Kim Heang's family makes a living from shrimp.

So what is it like to live here?

So your happiness is dependent on the water?

To build settlements and survive on such a lake

show the resilience and ingenuity of the Khmer people.

It's so inspiring to see how people in this village

have adapted to the environment by building houses so high up.

It can be dry one season and in the next,

completely submerged in so much water.

It's unimaginable.

As the ancient Khmer thrived, they built a complex society.

To find out how, I'm at a site built by Angkor's greatest king,

Jayavarman VII.

At its height, the temple of Preah Khan

was the epicentre of ancient society.

It was a place of learning but also linked to administration.

An inscription found here states that almost 100,000 public servants

donated goods and services to the temple,

to ensure the smooth running of the empire.

Phally is an archaeological architect

who is overseeing the restoration of the temple.

Garudas are mythical bird-like creatures

popular in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology.

Seventy-two of these winged guardians protect these sacred grounds.

Jayavarman VII, who built this temple,

came into power over a divided empire,

and used it as a centre of administration to reunite his people

and restore order across his land.

Phally lets me have a go at carving my own piece of Angkor history.

-Can I try? -Yes.

I hope I don't break something.

-Like this? -Yes.

You actually get quite good control.

This is the perfect tool.

It's so peaceful here,

it's hard to imagine that 800 years ago,

it was a hive of activity.

Scholars visiting from all over the region,

local farmers paying their taxes,

and officials making crucial decisions about matters of state.

It's like a temple, university and government ministry,

all rolled into one.

The ancient Khmer relied on its temples as gateways

to manage its almost 1 million strong populace

under which the empire thrived.

And the result was the building of one of the most iconic structures of all time.

I'm exploring the rise of the Angkor Empire,

and at last my journey brings me here.

The largest religious monument in the world,

Angkor Wat.

Built almost 900 years ago,

the temple's design mimics the Hindu universe.

With the five towers representing the peaks of Mount Meru,

home of the Hindu gods,

under which it's said King Suryavarman II

was laid to rest in 1150.

I've been here so many times, but it just never ceases

to move me in this very deep way.

Surrounding the temple is an enormous moat

that symbolises the Hindu sea of creation.

But it also holds a secret that helped the structure

withstand the cycle of flood and drought.

To learn more, I'm speaking to archaeologist Sokrithy Im,

who has studied this feat of architecture for 20 years.

This moat is so beautiful and it is so huge.

Can you tell me more about it?

I find that so incredible.

It just looks like this very beautiful lake.

You'd never imagine that it has this really important function.

But it wasn't just masterful engineering

that made this megastructure possible.

So all these things combined at the right time

to create this incredible monument.

Angkor Wat is an engineering masterpiece.

It looks the part of a sacred Hindu temple,

but there are also all these things going on

that have helped realise this enormous structure.

I would never have imagined that, to build something so high,

you needed to worry about the underground water table.

But they were so good at managing and storing water

that they found this very elegant design solution

that also ticked the box of religious symbolism.

It's pure genius!

But that just scratches the surface of this incredible structure.

Inside the compound is further evidence of the ancient Khmer's artistic skill:

decorative stonework,

and vivid carvings,

that bring the past to life.

Including the mighty king, Suryavarman II,

in whose honour the temple was built.

He's seated on this grand throne with all these symbols of his kingship.

Just look at him.

This is really a very wealthy and powerful king.

Further down the corridor is another iconic scene

that tells us something about the Angkor Empire of the day.

Here is the Khmer army and their allies

heading into battle with their long-time enemy to the east,

the Dai Viet.

It depicts all these kings on elephants

from the satellite states surrounding Angkor.

It emphasises Suryavarman II's power,

that he was able to muster all these forces from the states around him

towards this attack against the Dai Viet.

These carvings are a testament to Angkor's might,

but the majority of the carvings here aren't about the empire at all.

Instead, they tell stories of Hindu cosmology

that shed a light on the inner beliefs of its people.

Now, this is simply spectacular!

Possibly, the most iconic bas-relief in Angkor Wat.

This is a massive 49-metre heavenly tug-of-war between good and evil.

And above, look at all these apsaras, or celestial dancers,

springing out from the ocean.

There are more than 2,000 apsaras carved into the walls of Angkor Wat.

Images that have found new meaning in modern Cambodia.

This apsara dance is a modern adaptation

inspired by the imagery found at Cambodia's most famous temple.

This is really stunning!

It's as though the carvings have come to life.

The joy is in observing the slightest movements which speak volumes.

While the original dance is said to have begun in the 7th century,

the closest we can come to it today is through these modern re-imaginings.

It's one of the most popular dances in Cambodia.

I'm going to learn what all the movements mean.

This means...sigh.

This is a sigh.

I'm sighing in pain.

This is crying.

I feel like a clumsy old bear among the apsaras.

Oh, this is flying.

I think if they let go, I'm going to fall.

And after the angels' flight,

it's time to come down.

So this is arriving. The final pose.

We've landed back to Earth.

-That was amazing. -Thank you.

What I've learnt is that it's very difficult.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

What's so interesting is how important this was for modern Cambodians

to create a national identity based on Angkor

that everyone could rally behind.

By the 12th century, Angkor was a prosperous city with a thriving culture.

And it was the rise of a new king with new ideas

that pushed the empire to unprecedented heights.

But he also set the stage for its ultimate downfall.

I'm exploring the last chapter of the great Angkor Empire.

In 1181, a new king called Jayavarman VII took power.

He ordered more building projects than all of his predecessors combined;

extending the road network further than ever before,

and expanding the empire's territory as far as modern day Myanmar,

Vietnam,

and the Malay Peninsula.

Angkor was the uncontested superpower of Southeast Asia.

I'm at the Bayon Temple,

built by King Jayavarman VII.

Just look at the size of them!

It's famed for its over 200 stone faces,

said to be the king's own likeness;

frozen in eternity as the image of the Buddha.

Julia Esteve, an expert of ancient Khmer religion,

has a theory about the change of faith,

away from Hinduism which has to do with a mystical sect.

Tantric Buddhism is a secret path

that is very strongly populated with secrecy,

magic, forbidden behaviour

to become enlightened while alive.

So here, for example, we can see a male ascetic...

-cutting his own fingers with a knife hereů -Yes, I can see that.

into the fire.

This could be a very good illustration

of this taboo behaviour that is practised in Tantric Buddhism.

These forbidden rituals were designed to reaffirm King Jayavarman VII's

connection to the divine.

It attracts fear and also respect,

and it gives extreme magical powers.

So he was playing with fire but it helped him achieve this aura

-which no other king could manage before? -Yes.

Jayavarman VII built this magnificent temple with these faces,

one of the most recognisable images of the Angkor Empire

in order to enhance his claim to power.

The king put himself as a god of a new kind of state religion

full of rituals, mantras and magic.

It was a very clever tactical move and it worked.

Thanks to his political move to embrace Tantric Buddhism,

Jayavarman VII enjoyed a golden reign.

But the move away from Hinduism had repercussions 100 years later.

Hindu hardliners rebelled in the late 13th century,

destroying the Buddhist temples of state,

and dividing the empire from within.

It was then that a powerful enemy from the west made their move.

In 1431, Angkor was attacked by a new force:

the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

After a seven-month siege,

Ayutthaya's army ransacked the city

taking close to 100,000 prisoners and several tons of gold.

And so came the sudden end of the great Angkor Empire.

But new research is showing that this was the final blow in a long decline.

Archaeologist Miriam Stark is looking back in time...

for clues about life here in the 13th century,

the closing years of the Angkor Empire.

You take a trowel, and you can scrape around the back here

and around the front very gently and see if you can expose this.

-I'll try not to break the shard. Promise. -Great.

Doing a good job there.

So we think these are residential areas.

We are finding all kinds of artefacts and materials that suggest household activity:

cooking, and eating.

We have animal bones.

I see. So, this is sort of domestic trash?

We like to say domestic debris.

It sounds a little more polite.

Now why don't you stop for a minute and just, gently, with your hand wiggle it.

And then you can look at it.

It's beautiful!

It's just amazing to pull out something

from a shallow pit like this which is so ancient!

Next, the shard is washed,

and it's beginning to show itself for the first time in 800 years.

-Beautiful. -Yes, that looks fantastic.

So it has these wonderful mottled colours.

You see green, you see brownsů

-it's almost abstract! -Yeah.

We call this a brown glaze, so it's really high-fired.

We don't often find such large pieces like this.

It's really special.

Archaeologist Alison Carter is piecing together these shards

to build a picture of what was going on in the Angkor Empire.

We started seeing a decline in the number of ceramics that we find,

and that tells us that there were probably fewer people living in that area.

But this population decline

didn't just come at the end of the empire in the 15th century,

but much earlier than previously thought.

The decline of Angkor actually seemed to be taking, maybe, a couple of centuries,

and there were a lot of different factors that were a part of that.

Religious change,

socio-political change,

and even climatic change.

So this is revealing that people were leaving Angkor

-way before the official end of the empire? -Right, exactly.

As ocean-going technology improved,

maritime trade between China and India increased,

pulling economic activity and people away from Angkor.

With fewer people and less money,

the city's elaborate system of reservoirs and canals

filled up with silt and became ineffective,

leaving Angkor devastated by two mega droughts,

each of which lasted decades.

Unable to recover, Angkor was left to ruin,

reclaimed by the jungle.

But after its rediscovery in 1860,

the city of Angkor has been given a new lease of life,

as the heart of Cambodian identity.

It's Southeast Asia's biggest tourist draw

visited by over 2 million people each year.

This is putting a strain on the city's resources,

and bringing a whole new problem:

litter.

But its residents are coming together,

to conserve their symbol of national pride.

I'm joining Sophea, a local hotel worker,

who is volunteering to clean up the modern city of Siem Reap.

A straw.

A lot of straws!

Plastic spoons!

Oh my god, a battery!

It's quite a fun to be out here and I love cleaning up

so this is really my kind of activity.

What do you think about clean-up projects like these?

I think, we must do it

every day and every week.

Right now, it's time to change.

We've stopped using plastics, and we are trying to clean more

to keep our environment clean and green.

So we've been picking trash down this stretch of road

and this is just my haul. It is so heavy.

Clearly, people who live and work around here

want to see a much cleaner Siam Reap.

While the volunteers are busy cleaning up the ancient city...

I'm getting a taste of a vibrant living tradition.

Once a necessity of life in Angkor,

this Khmer pastime is kept alive

through a much-loved national celebration:

the annual dragon boat race.

It takes place every November, at the end of the rainy season.

This team of local farmers is busy training for the race.

Their captain Morm Mech is giving me tips

on how to paddle like a real Angkor man.

Okay.

So basically, follow instructions,

keep the momentum and don't fall off.

Ready!

This unique paddling style was a technique used in battle

by the ancient Khmer army,

giving rowers more power.

I love how this competition brings everyone in the village together.

It's such a community effort.

It's so wonderful to learn that such a vibrant festival has its roots in the battle

that took place almost 800 years ago during the Angkor Empire.

And the fact that Cambodia's biggest festival

is based around the annual water cycles

shows how much it's still in the heart of the nation's psyche.

I've seen how for aeons,

life in Cambodia has been defined by water.

And the ability to store and control it

enabled the empire to grow and flourish to unprecedented heights.

The Angkor Empire found itself in challenging conditions,

on the edge of flood plains where water levels could rise as much as 10 metres high.

But these harsh conditions also primed their skills to survive,

and build dazzling structures which remain to this day.

While Angkor has become a world icon of Southeast Asian history,

to the Cambodian people, it remains a beacon of their past glory

on which they build their modern identity and nation.