CAMBODIA - Angkor

East Mebon Temple

This temple was built in the second half of the tenth century by King Rajendravarman II, dedicated to Shiva, an ancestor temple in memory of the parents of the King. The sculpture at the East Mebon is varied and exceptional, including two-meter-high free-standing stone elephants at corners of the first and second tiers. Religious scenes include the god Indra atop his three-headed elephant Airavata, and Shiva on his mount, the sacred bull Nandi. Carving on lintels is particularly elegant.