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The Angkorian Music and Musical Instruments

By Patrick Kersalé

Published on 7 May 2024

Performing Arts, Music

In ‘The Kingdom of Cambodia’, we know very little about the development of Khmer musical instruments. The humid monsoon climate has destroyed all organic traces through the passing of the centuries. From the Pre-Angkorian period, we know about the name and shape of some of the lost musical instruments from three sources: archaeological objects, iconography, and epigraphy. The very first instrumental iconography found so far dates back to the 7th century. In the 9th century, written texts bring us the names of some instruments. In the 10th and 11th centuries, rare instruments are depicted on the walls of the temples. However, in 12th and early 13th centuries, we see iconographic representations of many musical instruments in all forms of Khmer activities such as martial, palatine, entertainment and worship. In the 16th century, Angkor Wat offers two frescoes and large bas-reliefs on which appear new instruments of exogenous origin.

The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage