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a “temple-mountain” symbolising the Meru |
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Eastern Mebon is an impressive temple mountain erected on 952 AD on an artificial island in the midst of the East Baray an artificial body of water in the eastern area of Angkor, now dry, on the same axis of the Victory Gate of the royal city of Angkor. The purpose of Eastern Baray is controversial, although some considers it as the symbolic ocean that surrounded the Mount Meru, home of the gods.
The Mebon has all the characteristics of a “temple-mountain” with, instead of the tiered pyramid, there is, inside two concentric enclosing walls, a simple three metre high platform carrying the quincunx of towers representing the peaks of the mythical Mount Meru and containing the royal lingam and statues of king’s parents. More lingams were contained in the eight smaller temples.
Eastern Mebon |
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The axial entrances are framed by two sitting lions. The external enclosure wall has four axial gopuras in laterite and sandstone with no remains of roofs, in the south side a few remains of laterite galleries.
The next level is the laterite wall of the first enclosure, at the corners facing outwards and marking the four intermediate cardinal points, four rarely fund monolithic elephants realistically sculpted from a single block of stone and showing every detail of their harnesses. Four axial stairways, flanked by lions, lead to towered passageways, now virtually collapsed. Within the large courtyard of the first enclosure there are eight small brick towers, two on each axis, with finely detailed lintels and colonnettes and on each corner collapsed laterite buildings (two on the south east corner).
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Eastern Mebon
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Accessed by means of axial stairways embellished with lions the upper platform carries the five towers, on a plinth the central sanctuary dominates the four others. The towers open to the east, with the other three false doors in sandstone.
The sculpted sandstone lintels are remarkable mainly depicting Indra on a three headed elephant.
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