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Balaha Horse

Keywords : Avalokitesvara , Bayon, Mahayana Buddhism, Jayavarman VII, Balaha, Anodat

Site common namePrasat Neak Pean
Type of artworkSculpture
Province/CityAngkor
StateSiem Reap
CountryCambodia
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree		Lat : 13.463056
Long : 103.895

History of productionPrasat Neak Pean is built on a large pond called “Narai Phrakhan”. It was built in the reign of king Chayavaraman VII. According to the inscription, it was called “Chaitadaka”. It is a holy place for the kingdom as it can be compared with Anodat pond.
ArtBalaha horse is a large horse sculpture facing the principle prasat. There are human sculptures surrounding the Balaha horse.
PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodBayon
Age18 Century BE.
ReligionBuddhism
SectMahayana
Religion and beliefBalaha horse is the disguise of Avalokitesavara, who comes to help disadvantaged people. These people could hold the tail and the hair of the horse to cross the ocean.
Related artworkThe large horse sculpture is Balaha and the human sculptures are people who were helped cross the ocean.

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2015-02-00
Record creatorChedha Tingsanchali