The serpent, the crocodile,and the king

The serpent, the crocodile,and the king
An interdisciplinary study of khmer ships from Angkor.
Presented by Veronica Walker
Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology
St. Cross College, University of Oxford
Contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Drawing of the Khmer admiral. Banteay Chhmar.
Source: Jacques-Hergoualc'h, M. 1979. The armies of Angkor
1.-What is Maritime Archaeology?
2.-Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
3.-Iconography of Khmer ships
4.-Maritime ethnography
5.-The Serpent, the crocodile, and the king
What is Maritime Archaeology?
‘the scientific study of the
material remains of man and
his activities on the sea’
Muckelroy, K.1978.
Maritime Archaeology.
What is Maritime Archaeology?
‘the scientific study of the
material remains of man and
his activities on the sea’
Muckelroy, K.1978.
Maritime Archaeology.
Maritime excavations under water
Lena shoal shipwreck in the Philippines, excavated in 1997 by the
national museum and FEFNA foundation led by Franck Goddio.
Source: Franck Goddio/FEFNA.
Maritime excavations on land
Excavation of the Butuan boats in the Philippines in 1978.
Source: National Museum of the Philippines.
What else is maritime archaeology?
1.Nautical Archaeology: Anchors, infrastructures, etc.
2.Silted harbors: Ostia
3.Sunken cities: Pavlopetri, Greece
4.-Prehistoric landscapes: Sundaland
In Maritime Archaeology we see water as a means
of communication and of human interaction and we
apply realistic observations to interpretative
theories taking into account factors like
currents, navigational tools, nautical
advancements, weather patterns, etc.
1.-What is Maritime Archaeology?
2.-Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
3.-Iconography of Khmer ships
4.-Maritime ethnography
5.-The Serpent, the crocodile, and the king
Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
Ceramics from the Koh Sdach wreck, Koh Kong. Source: V.Walker.
Rivers, lakes, and flood plains
The massive flood plains of Cambodia
make it necessary for the population
to use boats for transport, as well as
fishing and even for rice cultivation.
Extension of seasonal flooding in the Phnom Penh area in 2006
Source: Earth Observatory NASA. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
Moats, embankments, and canals
In Cambodia, rivers and lakes were used for
transport. Canals were also very likely used
for transport, and archaeological and
iconographic evidence shows that boats were
used in ponds and baray.
Infrared image of Angkor. Source: NASA.
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/cambodia-200709/inde
x_noaccess.html
Incorporating maritime perspectives
in Archaeology
Things to take into account:
Seasonality of rain
Wind direction
Currents
Seasonal flow
Nautical technology
Environmental limitations
maritime traditions
Lovek (Longvek) in the 17th century. Source: Valentyn, Francois,1724,
Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën, part III b, third book
1.-What is Maritime Archaeology?
2.-Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
3.-Iconography of Khmer ships
4.-Maritime ethnography
5.-The Serpent, the crocodile, and the king
The study of Khmer ships
Lack of primary data requires the use of
interdisciplinary studies
Elephant Terrace, engraving by Delaporte, 1890.
Source: Musée Guimet. 2013. Angkor: le naissance d'un mythe. .
Ship iconography:
main source of information
Until we start finding ancient Khmer
ships, iconography remains the best
source of data for the study of
Khmer ships.
Royal barge with people playing Ouk. Preah Khan. Source: V.Walker
Creating a catalog of
ship iconography
Survey of Angkor Archaeological Park and
Banteay Chhmar in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013:
- 22 Nautical scenes
-c. 76 ships represented
On-line research on Phimai:
-2 Nautical scenes
-2 ships
Royal barge with people playing Ouk. Preah Khan. Source: V.Walker
Types of ships in bas-reliefs:
Undecorated common ships
Undecorated common craft with fishermen, Banteay Chhmar.
Source: V. Walker
Types of ships in bas-reliefs:
Decorated royal or ceremonial ships
The decorations vary, but they
usually represent a naga, a makara
or a garuda, although these last
two are often represented together.
Decorated ceremonial ship, Banteay Samre.
Source: V. Walker
Further surveys in the
Mun river valley
Nautical scene, National Museum of Phimai. Source: N. Hidalgo Tan
Problems with the use of iconography
-Secondary data (sculptor's vision)
-Two dimensional information
-Problems with nautical accuracy
-Reduced data on nautical technology
-Interpretive problems, etc.
Detail of decorated ship, Ta Nei. Source: V.Walker
1.-What is Maritime Archaeology?
2.-Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
3.-Iconography of Khmer ships
4.-Maritime ethnography
5.-The Serpent, the crocodile, and the king
Ethnography and ethno-history
Secondary data:
-Ethno-history from Chinese
historical accounts
-Current ethnography: study of
contemporary maritime customs
Mekong river, Lvea Em district. Source: V.Walker
Using ethnography for
maritime archaeology
Top left: common craft with fishermen, Bayon. Source: V.Walker
Bottom left: common craft with fishermen, Lvea Em disctrict. Source: V.Walker
Right: common craft with children, Tonle Sap lake, Siem Reap province. Source: V.Walker
Maritime ethnography in Cambodia:
Common ships
In the 13 th century, Zhou Daguan mentions
that the large boats of Angkor had awning
made from palm leafs held down with areca
wood.
Common boat house in Kompong Pluk, Tonle Sap lake, Siem Reap province. Source: V.Walker
Maritime ethnography in Cambodia:
Water Festival ships
-Ceremonies associated with the
construction of ceremonial ships
-Construction of the ships
-Types of dry docks and location of the
docks for the ships
Left: Ceremonial ships in dry dock, Mat Krasas Knung, Lvea Em district. Source: V.Walker
Right: Ceremonial ships in dry dock, Prek Prang pagoda, Oudong. Source: V.Walker
Maritime ethnography in Thailand:
Royal Barges Museum
Extract from Marcello de Ribadeneyra's account “Historia de las islas del archipielago y
reynos de la gran china” published in Barcelona (Spain) in 1601.
Maritime ethnography in Thailand:
Royal Barges Museum
Historical accounts show the opulence
of the royal nautical parades in the
kingdom of Siam, like this engraving
from the 18 th century.
Source: Vue de Siam avec diverses Sortes des Ballons, ou Vaisseaux Chinoise a Rame,
engraved by F.X. Habermann, published in Augsburg, 1760
Maritime ethnography in Thailand:
Royal Barges Museum
Image of a nautical parade in Thailand in 2007. Source: Lerdsuwa
Maritime ethnography in Thailand:
Royal Barges Museum
Elements from the Royal Barges can help to
identify some features in the bas-reliefs.
Right: the seat of the helmsman in the Thai
royal barges and a similar feature in the
ceremonial barge in Angkor Wat.
Extract from Marcello de Ribadeneyra's account “Historia de las islas del archipielago y
reynos de la gran china” published in Barcelona (Spain) in 1601.
Maritime ethnography in Thailand:
Royal Barges Museum
Decoration techniques in Angkor and Thailand
Left: Detail of the stern of a ceremonial ship in Angkor Wat. Source: V. Walker
Centre: Detail of a stern of a decommissioned Thai ceremonial ship, Royal Barges Section, Thai Royal
Navy. Thailand. Source: V.Walker
Right: gilded decorations in a Thai royal barge, Royal Barges Museum, Thailand. Source: V.Walker
1.-What is Maritime Archaeology?
2.-Maritime Archaeology in Cambodia
3.-Iconography of Khmer ships
4.-Maritime ethnography
5.-The Serpent, the crocodile, and
the king
The snake, the crocodile,and the king
Drawing of the Khmer admiral. Banteay Chhmar.
Source: Jacques-Hergoualc'h, M. 1979. The armies of Angkor
The snake
Further analysis of the use of the
serpent in the decoration of ships
and its connection to myths involving
serpents, such as the story of Vishnu
Anantashayana.
Vishnu Anantasaya, Kbal Speak. Source: V.Walker
Detail of a decorated bow in Angkor Wat. Source: V.Walker
The crocodile
Analysis of the makara and
garuda decoration, often
(but not always)
associated with war.
Drawing of two ships with makara decoration, Bayon.
Source: Jacques-Hergoualc'h, M. 1979. The armies of Angkor
The king
Further analysis will focus on the use
of ships by the elites as visual
agents of power.
Royal or ceremonial barge with two people playing Ouk, Preah Khan
Source: V.Walker
អរគុណ
ើ្ចើន
Special thanks to:
Center for Khmer Studies
Apsara Authority
National Museum in Phnom Penh
Thai Royal Navy
St. Cross College
Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology
Image Sources slide 7 (clockwise starting from the left):
►Anchors: Steffy, R. 1994. Wooden Ship Building and the Interpretation of Shipwrecks
►Pavlopetri:Uni. of Nottingham. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pavlopetri/index.aspx
►Ostia harbour: Uni. Southampton http://www.portusproject.org/phases/trajanic-phase/
►Prehistoric landscape of Southeast Asia: Glover, I. And Bellwood, P. 2004. Southeast
Asia: from prehistory to history
“The image is a memorial, just what words are to a
listening ear. What a book is to those who can read, an
image is to those who cannot read. The image speaks to the
sight as words to the ear; it brings us understanding. ”
Saint John of Damascus (675-749 CE)