The Causeway of Giants at Angkor Thom
Summary
Georges Cœdès examines the symbolic meaning of the bridges at Angkor Thom whose balustrades are formed by two enormous nāga serpents with bodies supported by stone giants. The prevailing interpretation is that these sculptures depict the churning of the ocean (samudramanthana), but Cœdès summarises Paul Mus’s alternative view that they represent the rainbow which links the human world with that of the gods. Mus bases his interpretation on a verse from a Sanskrit inscription by Jayavarman VII that compares the causeway to a rainbow connecting heaven and earthimage/. Cœdès agrees that the motif may symbolise more than the churning and suggests it embodies multiple layers of meaning: the rainbow as a cosmic link, the serpent as the ocean and the giants as churning gods. He notes that similar balustrades appear on other 12th‑century Khmer monuments and that Jayavarman VII named parts of Angkor Thom after mountains and oceans, strengthening the cosmic interpretation. The author concludes that the arrangement of moat, outer wall and causeway could represent a ritual churning, intended to produce prosperity and victory for the kingdomimage/. By integrating architectural, epigraphic and mythological evidence, Cœdès offers a nuanced reading of the causeway that combines Indian and Khmer symbolism.
AI-assisted summary, not yet checked. Consult the original PDF before citing.
Conclusion
Cœdès reinterprets the bridges at Angkor Thom by combining the traditional churning‑of‑the‑ocean motif with Paul Mus’s suggestion that they symbolise the rainbow linking heaven and earth. He argues that Jayavarman VII’s use of cosmic names for the moat and walls supports this reading and that the causeways may have been conceived as a ritual churning to ensure prosperity. The article demonstrates the rich interplay of Indian and Khmer symbolism in Khmer architecture and encourages a multi‑layered approach to interpreting its iconography.