Right Guardian Lion

sketchfab

Angkor period, c. 11th-13th century. The placement of guardian animals outside Cambodian (or Khmer) temples is characteristic throughout this era. Typically, these animals were depicted with open jaws, alert postures, and an unwavering stare that served as a powerful apotropaic function, manifesting the temple's power and warding off evil forces. While nagas like the one at the beginning of this exhibit adorned balustrades on causeways, lions like these two flanked staircases and temple entrances in pairs. This text has been rewritten with active voice throughout, maintaining the same tone and phrasing as the original while adhering to the Flesch-Kincaid readability standard.