Une tête angkorienne de Harihara

Résumé En

The importance of Harihara worship in pre-Angkorean Cambodia is well known. As far as Angkorean Period is concerned, in spite of several epigraphical testimonies, two images of that god only were known up to a recent date. The head which we are presenting here allows us to contribute to fill that gap. Datable from the third quarter of the tenth century (Pré Rup style) , it is to be placed chronologically in between the two already known images. While being a very good sample of Pré Rup style, it shows however an obvious faithfulness to the previous iconographie tradition. The exact origin of the image is unknown. We have tried to ascertain it, using the few scanty clues which were at our disposal. The head has been found in the years 1883-1885, which correspond to a dark and agitated period, it would appear that it came from Oudong, where are known ancient royal palaces as well as numerous buddhist temples ; there, until now, are found quite a number of Khmer images from various periods. Going through epigraphy to look for some more information, we have discovered that a Prasat Komphus inscription contemporary with the head we are publishing and written by a brahmine of Indian stock, could add usefully to our knowledge of Pré Rup style Harihara-s : thus the god attributes listed here are the same than those held by the Bakong Harihara (dated AD 881).