Angkor Wat: The Ancient Mystery Of Cambodia’s Lost Capital | The City Of God Kings | Timeline

Timeline - World History Documentaries・2 minutes read

French naturalist Henry Mouhot discovered the ancient stone temples of Angkor Wat in the Cambodian jungle, revealing a vast and sophisticated city larger than London with a complex social structure and grand festivals. The city's decline was due to lack of maintenance, leading to issues like deforestation and potential ecological disasters, with the Khmer court eventually relocating and renouncing material wealth.

Insights

  • French naturalist Henry Mouhot discovered the ancient stone temples of Angkor Wat in the Cambodian jungle in 1860, revealing a vast and sophisticated city larger than London, with structures rivaling grand cathedrals, showcasing the Khmer empire's architectural and cultural prowess.
  • Angkor's decline was attributed to a lack of maintenance by subsequent rulers, leading to ecological issues like deforestation affecting the water system, prompting the Khmer court to relocate to the banks of the Mekong River near present-day Phnom Penh, abandoning the once-great city of Angkor and eventually renouncing material wealth, highlighting the city's eventual downfall due to environmental neglect and political changes.

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Recent questions

  • What is Angkor Wat?

    Ancient stone temples in Cambodia's jungle.

  • Who ruled the Khmer empire?

    38 kings from the 9th to 15th centuries.

  • What is Angkor Thom?

    The holy city built by Jayavarman VII.

  • How was Angkor's population estimated?

    Between 80,000 to 150,000 people.

  • What led to Angkor's decline?

    Lack of maintenance and ecological issues.

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Discovery of Angkor Wat's Ancient Temples"

  • In 1860, French naturalist Henry Mouhot discovered the ancient stone temples of Angkor Wat in the Cambodian jungle.
  • Angkor Wat was part of a vast and sophisticated city, larger than London, with structures rivaling the grandeur of cathedrals.
  • The city of Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, ruled by 38 kings from the 9th to the 15th centuries.
  • The temples of Angkor were restored by French archaeologists in the 20th century, revealing intricate carvings and inscriptions in Sanskrit.
  • Angkor Thom, the holy city, was built by the Khmer's greatest monarch, Jayavarman VII, with a grand Royal Palace and religious monuments.
  • Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of the city's layout, including canals, roads, and thousands of wooden houses within Angkor Thom.
  • The Khmer rulers, considered earthly gods, had a complex social structure with the king elevated to godhood and a large harem of women.
  • The King's New Year festival was a grand spectacle with rockets and firecrackers visible from afar, showcasing the city's grandeur.
  • The city of Angkor was a bustling metropolis with a hierarchy of ministers, generals, astronomers, and other functionaries.
  • Archaeological research continues to uncover the mysteries of Angkor, shedding light on the culture and history of the Khmer empire.

23:08

Angkor: Ancient City of a Million People

  • Sanskrit inscriptions in Temples like Tarp Rom provide valuable clues about the temple's population and roles.
  • The temple housed at least 12,000 people, including priests, dancers, and officiants.
  • New research suggests the city's population could have been between 80,000 to 150,000 people, much larger than London's 30,000.
  • Recent discoveries confirm the city's large population and structure, aligning with Doug Juan's claims.
  • Archaeologists used NASA's radar to uncover Angkor's infrastructure, revealing a vast metropolis the size of London.
  • Radar images show unknown temples, roads, and canals leading to the walled city of Angkor.
  • The radar imagery reveals the sophisticated landscape manipulation in Angkor, unlike any other in Southeast Asia.
  • Archaeologists use radar images to trace the layout of ancient Angkor, discovering numerous temple sites and settlements.
  • The population of Angkor was estimated to be around a million people, making it one of the largest cities globally between the 11th and 13th centuries.
  • The Khmer's ability to harness water from the great lake and manage irrigation systems was crucial to Angkor's success and prosperity.

46:32

Angkor's Decline and Khmer Court's Relocation

  • The city of Angkor faced decline due to lack of maintenance by succeeding rulers, leading to issues like deforestation affecting the water system and potential ecological disasters.
  • The Khmer court eventually relocated to the banks of the Mekong River near present-day Phnom Penh, abandoning the once great city of Angkor and moving away from the Thais, eventually becoming completely Buddhist and renouncing material wealth.
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