Year 8 History

Khmer Empire
Week 6 Monday
Cultural Achievements
Schedule
In todays class we will be looking at the
cultural achievements of the Khmer Empire.
Group Tally Update.
Work on Major assessments (if time)
Housekeeping
Absences
Major Assessment Sheet of Paper
Questions on Major Assignment
Brain Break
Team Scoreboard
PINK 20
ORANGE 20
RED 5
PURPLE 15
YELLOW 10
Colourful 24
Cultural Achievements
Cultural can include the following:
Social Features of the Khmer Empire
- Daily Life Including:
- Family life
- Education
- Housing
- Food
- Fashion

But what do we mean by cultural achievements?

Cultural Achievements
Some of the greatest achievements of the
Khmers were architectural, in particular the
vast temple complexes and cities of Angkor.
As well as temples the Khmers also had very
sophisticated Water Management Systems
with Canals and Barays.
Another Cultural Achievement we will look at
is Festivals

Angkor Thom Great City
Angkor Thom became the Angkorean capital under King
Jayavarman II and holds the famous Bayon temple (pictured).
King Jayavarman II and Angkor Thom
Jayavarman VII (1181 1219) Stands as the last of
the great kings of Angkor, not only because of his
successful war against the Cham, but because he was
not a tyrannical ruler like his immediate
predecessors.
He unified the empire and carried out noteworthy
building projects including Angkor Thom.
An extensive building program built 102 hospitals.
He built an extensive network of roads connecting
every town of the empire.
This network of roads had 121 rest-houses built for
traders, officials, and travellers.

Architecture
Angkor Wat is the largest temple at Angkor.
It is 1.5 x 1.3 SQUARE KILOMETRES in size.
It is surrounded by a MOAT 200M wide.
It is the Largest Religious Monument in the
World. Dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu.
The design is based on the Hindu Conception
of the Universe with the Five central towers
representing the five peaks of Mount Meru,
the Central mountain in Hindu mythology.
Angkor Wat Questionnaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quovPCWXGnM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-ALW0VO5A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9plvrHnOLA
Water Systems
The Khmer people constructed a water
management system of impressive scale.
This system was centred on three great
reservoirs called Barays.
They constructed an intricate network of
channels to divert water south from the Puok,
Rolous and Siam Reap Rivers.
Water Systems
The benefits of this system meant:
- Seasonal Flooding could be Managed
- Water Could be Stored During Dry Seasons
- Rice Paddies had a Constant Irrigation Source
The Great Engineering of the Khmer Empire
History Channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfaoeeSyHfs

History Channel Doco.
3 main Reservoirs or Barays
16km2 in the 12CE is a HUGE engineering feat!
Unparalleled anywhere in the
pre-industrial world nothing else on this scale!
A great civilisation that goes on and on as far as
the eye can see!
Stems from the Kulon mountains which feeds
the Siem Reap river.
Tightly linked to the rice-agriculture system.


Quick Facts
Water System stretched over 1200kms.
Water = Rice = Food = People = Empire
Connecting the natural lake Tonle Sap to large
barays through a series of canals permanently
altering the local hydrology.
This meant year round irrigation extending the
monsoonal rain period.
Changing the natural catchment areas may
have led to erosion and sedimentation,
deforestation and instability of the ecosystem.

Quick Quiz
The Khmer people built Trapeangs which were
excavated ponds. They did this at the village
level (large ones) and at the house level (small
ones). Temples usually had moats and houses
were built on stilts.

What do these interesting facts suggest to us?
Fashion and Festivals
Zhou Daguan Primary Source Analysis
Major Assignment
Part 2 - Creative Section.