Preah Khan, statue of Ganesa (no longer in place)

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The object depicted in the image is made of the following material(s): sandstone, laterite

Information about the creation of the object depicted in the image: 1191

Information about the restoration of the object depicted in the image: 1939-59, in progress

Ganesa, the elephant-headed god, is the master of categories and obstacles and the son of Siva and Parvati. This statue was found in a central tower within the northern annex of temples which were dedicated to Siva. The statue is no longer in place. Jayavarman VII (1181-c.1220) likely built Preah Khan as his residence during the construction of his capital, Angkor Thom, after the Cham invasion in 1177. According to the foundation stele, the temple was dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s father, Dharanindravarman (1107-1112). The complex was one of Jayavarman VII’s larger projects, and may also have been used as a Buddhist university. Some 97, 840 people served the temple, of whom 1000 were dancers. The Buddhist temple complex is unusual in that it includes Hindu subsidiary temples devoted to Vishnu and Shiva.

Source for information about the object depicted in the image: Jessup, Helen Ibbitson. Art and Architecture of Cambodia. London: Thames & Hudson, 2004.Glaize, Maurice. Les Monuments du Groupe d'Angkor. Paris: J. Maisonneuve, 1993.

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