What Are The Artistic Styles At Angkor What?

Angkor Wat is famed for some of the world's most elaborate and high-quality bas relief carvings and murals, and for pyramidical stone temples executed from the 9th to 13th century.
Panels are in various states of decay due to erosion and the humid jungle climate. The panels at Angkor Wat are not as deeply incised as those of Angkor Thom; the ability to pick out details depends on the time of day and available light. Depicted are the exploits of Hindu gods, ferocious battles, and charming scenes of everyday life.
Of particular note at Angkor Wat are the 2,000 statues of apsaras, or celestial maidens, carved so deeply so as to look 3-D. Each bare-breasted woman has a different facial expression, symbolic hand gestures, hairstyle, jewelry, and clothing. They are considered the apotheosis of Khmer statuary.
At Angkor Thom are the famous huge stone faces of the god Lokesvara, atop more than 50 atop towers. These are what so astounded the first French explorers, igniting an intense interest in the ruins in the Western world.
The 3,000-foot-long Procession of the Elephants is a nearly life-sized frieze of the beasts. Look for carvings of nagas, or cobras sacred to Buddha, many with multiple heads.
A must-see are the stone carvings of Banteay Srei, a bit distant from the major complexes. They are considered among the world's finest examples of stone carving, again in such extreme relief it's hard to believe they are not 3-D.
Khmer temples are symbolic of Mount Meru, home of the gods. Moats represent the Churning of the Sea of Milk creation story. The temples' towers represent the peaks of Meru, and they face the four cardinal directions.
The temples' architecture consists of high, narrow towers with elaborate carvings with tiny, open-sided temples on top. Brave the very steep steps to access the highest towers for views of the jungle and other ruins. The older temples in the back of the park are not as pristinely excavated and give you an idea of the daunting task of reconstruction. Ta Prohm has been left as it was discovered, with massive trees sundering the stone buildings.