At its height, the Khmer Empire stretched from Angkor as far west as Muang Singh on the border with present-day Burma and Thailand and as far north as Wat Phu on the banks of the Mekong river. Following on from the great success of Angkor: Cities and Temples , the renowned scholar and epigraphist, Claude Jacques, explores the achievements and developments of the Khmer people from the 5th to the 13th century. Beginning with the early pre-Angkorean site of Funan and ending with the reign of the great Khmer king, Jayavarman VII, the author journies behind the well-known temples of Angkor Wat, to reveal the marvels of many temples hitherto inaccessible to visitors. Thus the reader is taken a virtual tour of sites as varied as Preah Vihear perched on a steep cliff overlooking the Cambodian plain, the mysterious and extensive site of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay and the exquisitely carved temple in the forest of Beng Mealea, to mention but a few. The author speculates as to the origins and reasons behind each site and how the Khmer empire functioned over many hundreds of years. Superbly photographed by Philippe Lafond, the book includes site plans, old photographs, aerial shots of the ancient cities as well as detailed photographs showing the reliefs and other magnificent carvings. Never before has the richness and diversity of the Khmer Empire been captured so evocatively.

A panoramic tour of Cambodian history traces its rediscovery in the mid-nineteenth century and what the latest findings have revealed about Khmer civilization, documenting such periods as the five-century part-Hindu, part-Buddhist empire, the gradual abandonment of Angkor, and the move of the capital downriver to the Phnom Penh area. Reprint.

In this lively survey, Guy D. Middleton critically examines our ideas about collapse - how we explain it and how we have constructed potentially misleading myths around collapses - showing how and why collapse of societies was a much more complex phenomenon than is often admitted.

The first chapter of the book sets out the historical framework of the Khmer empire and explores the various aspects of its civilisation, from the Indian-influenced court to the people of the rice paddies. It describes the Khmer's religious concepts, most important myths, and the structure of society, dominated by the powerful figure of the sovereign who, being at the centre of the water-management system, guaranteed the survival of his people. The book continues with details concerning the everyday life of the people, their houses, customs, traditions, and most important ceremonies. An ample section of text is dedicated to archaeological excursions. ILLUSTRATIONS: 406 photographs

***DELAYED PUBLICATION - NEW COVER*** Banteay Chhmar is the second monument of ancient Cambodia's greatest king, Jayavarman VII. This temple, built in the late 12th-Century by one of Cambodia's most original stone carving and architectural workshops, lay in ruins for almost a thousand years under a remote forest halfway between Angkor, the declining capital of the once mighty Khmers and Ayutthaya, the burgeoning new hub of the rising Thai kingdom. At first the remoteness of Banteay Chhmar made it the distant jewel in the magnificent monumental landscape of the Khmers, but after the Khmer Empire declined in the 14th century, the temple's art was left exposed to generations of looters. To uncover the secrets of this large, beautiful and still forest-draped complex, Peter Sharrock has brought together a team of international experts, including Claudes Jacques, Olivier Cunin and Thiery Zephir, to decipher the reliefs of the master carvers, identify the esoteric Buddhist deities and open a new vista on Jayavarman's reign. Lavishly illustrated with 300 specially-commissioned photographs this is the first book devoted to this beautiful, remarkable and important temple. AUTHOR: Dr Peter D. Sharrock is Senior Teaching Fellow in the History of Art and Archaeology at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He experienced the American war in Indochina for four years as the Reuters correspondent and discovered how, as the French said, Indochina 'attaches to the skin'. His doctorate and subsequent publications are on a new interpretation of the esoteric Buddhism and imperial politics of the greatest king of ancient Cambodia, Jayavarman VII, as expressed through the art and architecture of the 'Bayon style' named after the Bayon temple in Angkor. His current research explores Jayavarman's empire beyond Angkor - including his second greatest temple complex of Banteay Chhmar. SELLING POINTS: * First title to be devoted to this important and beautiful temple * Contains contributions from the world's leading Khmer scholars * Features over 300 specially commissioned photographs * Banteay Chhmar is likely to see ever-increasing tourist visits in the next few years and is seeking UNESCO World Heritage Site status * The temple has seen perhaps the worst looting of any temple: as recently as 1999 over 100 sandstone pieces of the Western Gallery were recovered by Thai police following looting 300 colour illustrations

Creative Art: Methods and Materials educates readers about a variety of art methods and the ways different civilizations have used them in artistic expression. Each of the fourteen chapters is designed around a specific art method and material, and includes examples of art works and the artists who created them. Students learn about bronze casting, stone carving, clay sculpture, woodcuts and posters, glass work, and installation art. Each method is matched to artists both ancient and modern. Rather than adhering to a standard approach that focuses on white, male, European artists, the book broadens the student's perspective by including often overlooked female artists. Global in approach and comprehensive in coverage of arts forms, representations, and styles throughout history, Creative Art has been developed for sixteen-week courses in art appreciation, or introductory survey courses in art history.