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BLOG 5A: How does Angkor Wat, as an outstanding example of stone architecture and construction, provide insights or parallels that relate to the Waipoua stonework structures and NZ’s first settlers?

  • Writer: Kerry Paul
    Kerry Paul
  • 2 days ago
  • 2 min read
Angkor Wat at sunrise with golden light reflecting on the water, surrounded by trees and a sky with orange clouds and birds.

What is Angkor Wat?


Angkor Wat is located 7 km north of Siem Reap in Northern Cambodia.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, built primarily from sandstone blocks. The main outer wall stretches approximately 1.5 km east to west and 1.3 km north to south. The temple complex features monumental architecture, including towers, galleries, and extensive bas-reliefs. The construction involved precise stone-cutting and interlocking techniques, with many structures surviving for centuries without mortar. Angkor Wat was built over 37 years between 1113 and 1150 by 300,000 slaves.


Aerial view of Angkor Wat with detailed temple structures, surrounded by lush greenery and water. Hazy mountains in the distant background.
Angkor Wat from the southwest in the early 13th century, looking beyond to city of Angkor Thom

Angkor Wat is a representation of the Hindu universe. Its moat (200 metres wide) represents the cosmic oceans, with the walls around the temple serving as the mountain ridges around Mount Meru, represented in turn by the temple’s inner sanctuary and towers (42 metres highest tower). Nagas, mythical Hindu snakes, doubling as balustrades along the inner causeway of the temple complex, which is almost 500 metres in length, represent a rainbow along which humans can travel towards the world of the gods.



Besides the temple’s sheer dimensions – the moat measures 1500 metres by 1500 metres, while the inner temple yard is 210 hectares in size – the incredible bas-reliefs in the galleries rank amongst the greatest artistic achievements of the Angkor Empire. Interrupted by four giant entrance gates, the galleries are covered from ceiling to floor in 1200 square metres of intricate beliefs that tell stories from Hindu mythology and ancient Khmer history. Hindu epics are carved in stone next to detailed violent battle scenes. 1500 apsaras and devatas, heavenly dancers and nymphs, also grace the walls of Angkor Wat.


Let us now explore the similarities to Waipoua Stone Site in New Zealand in Blog 5B.

Comments

Kerry Paul Business man and blogger
Kerry Paul – Stepping Out of Your Bubble Author
​

Hi, I'm Kerry. I enjoy challenging people by asking questions and presenting different views to encourage critical thinking. My 45-year career has always had a global focus, building successful relationships in over 50 countries. I am empathetic to diverse views, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, or socio-economic status. Join me on a captivating journey as we explore how India shaped the world over two thousand years ago, potentially leading to the first settlement of New Zealand. This blog series aims to expand readers' awareness and knowledge of how people may have come to New Zealand in pre-Polynesian times. Given the time constraints many readers face, I am providing a platform for them to consider these intriguing possibilities in easy-to-read blog posts.

 

Who were the first people to settle in New Zealand? How did India possibly contribute to any development, given its major role over 2000 years ago in some of New Zealand’s closest neighbours? These questions will guide our exploration and open up a rich dialogue about the historical connections and cultural exchanges that may have shaped New Zealand's early settlements.

 

I'd be more than happy to discuss with readers of my blog about India, its history as well as New Zealand and the suggested origins of its first settlers. 

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