Publisher's Synopsis
This is a history of the Khmers, the people who for thousands of years inhabited the wooded interior of Cambodia. One hundred and fifty years ago the representatives of imperial France were astonished to find half-buried within the jungle the still magnificent ruins of vast temples.Justly described as one of the wonders of the world, these were the remnants of the once great Angkor Empire. Since then archaeologists and historians have attempted to piece together its history.This book presents the history of Khmer civilization. The rise of Angkor is usually dated to the early ninth century and the accession of Jayavarman II, although the consolidation of the Cambodian nation, marked by a record of impressive religious constructions, was a fitful process that had begun earlier and continued over many centuries.By the eleventh century the empire claimed dominion over large parts of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. The book describes its organization, the daily life of kings, priests and farmers, and the work of the craftsmen who created in stone and bronze the imperial and religious centres of power. "The Khmers" is a readable and vivid account of its fascinating subject. It is fully illustrated with beautiful photographs, and is a detailed account on the development of this ancient civilization.
