Hidden secrets of J-VII

This pediment shows Lokeshvara surrounded by flying apsaras at Krol Ko

This morning I was up and out at 7.30am to visit a quartet of temples off the main circuit around Angkor, which I'll call the Hidden Secrets of King Jayavarman VII. Renowned for his big-hitter temples such as the Bayon, Ta Prohm and Banteay Chhmar, the Khmer King of Kings, Jayavarman 7th also built a vast array of smaller, almost boutique shrines and for this quick dip into the deep well of fabulous temples in the Angkor Park, I took a moto with Nat and off we went, through Angkor Thom and just north of Neak Pean and Preah Khan, calling in first at Krol Ko. Built in the late 12th century, this smallish temple has all the hallmarks of a J-VII temple with finely-detailed pediments, female devatas carved into niches on the walls and a central sanctuary made of sandstone. The best carvings lie on the ground next to the gopura and near the enclosure wall, with seven reassembled pediments, most of which show several versions of Lokeshvara, which became popular in J-VII temples. As with all four temples visited this morning, I was all alone except for the bird-song and buzzing insects in the surrounding trees. An outside laterite wall leads onto a solitary east-facing sandstone gopura that opens into the inner sanctum with the main sanctuary - though access was blocked by wooden beams and a keep out sign - and a small library building closeby. Here's a few photos from Krol Ko to whet your appetite and I'll post more very soon.

The eastern entrance to the gopura and main sanctuary of Krol Ko

There's no access inside the low-level sandstone-built central sanctuary of Krol KoTwo non-smiling devatas on the sanctuary wall with some intricate carving above

This represents a king being crowned by Lokeshvara from a pediment at Krol Ko