Preah Ko, sculpture of Nandin

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The object depicted in the image is made of the following material(s): Brick, sandstone, and lime mortar decoration

Information about the creation of the object depicted in the image: 879

Information about the restoration of the object depicted in the image: 1932

This was the first temple built by Indravarman I (877-c.886) in the capital city of Hariharalaya. The temple was built to honor his ancestors, and the sculptures of kneeling bulls, which represent Nandin, Siva’s mount, indicate its Saivite affiliation. The plan consists of six brick towers on a single base, surrounded by two concentric enclosures. The six towers housed statues of six deities, three male deities in the first row, and three female deities in the second row. The base platform is accessed by three entrance steps, each facing a doorway to one of the towers and guarded by a pair of kneeling bulls, after which the temple is named (The Sacred Bull). The stone lintels and octagonal colonettes demonstrate the ornamental Preah Kô style.

Source for information about the object depicted in the image: Jessup, Helen Ibbitson. Art and Architecture of Cambodia. London: Thames & Hudson, 2004. Freeman M. and C. Jacques. Ancient Angkor. London: Thames and Hudson, 1999.

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