Common in the art he is, in the each and every one indigenous motif of the naga-balustrade, of fundamental
importance. Initially - notably at Bakong (subside of the 9th century) - the body lies directly approaching the showground and the gigantic heads are particularly imposing. Thereafter the body is raised vis--vis stone blocks and the heads, where at first straightforwardly crowned when a diadem, become more broadly crested - either behind blazing tresses as at Angkor Wat or Prah Palilay, or as soon as a purely ornamental continuous halo as at Beng Mealea. In this era (first half of the 12th century) the neck is bare and perfectly curved.
A tiny afterwards - for example at Banteay Srei - the naga is disgorged, as on the order of the borders of the
frontons, by a easy to use of dragon. A head of Kala appears vis--vis the nape and a small garuda vis--vis speaking the axial crest. In the style of the Bayon, this last element became devouring, and the naga small beyond an count, straddled by an gigantic garuda. Although of superb attainment in addition to those upon the terrace of Srah Srang, the motif looses every single one simplicity of lineage to become muggy and ashamed. At the entrances to Angkor Thom and Prah Khan, the naga carried by the devas and the asuras offers
no particular novelty, but upon some ancient Khmer bridges - probably of a difficult epoch - the heads of naga guard an image of the Buddha. The two nagas gone entwined tails of Neak Pean, devoid of any prettification, performance their nudity the same as the naga Mucilinda, sheltering the meditation of the Buddha following their fanned heads. The lions are guardians of the temples, adorning the read upon either side of the steps. They can be, it must be said, quite mediocre. Unknown in the fauna of Indochina, they imposed an obligation upon the sculptor to aerate for inspiration by yourself in themes from India, from Java or from China, following no insinuation to natural realism.