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The invisible graffiti of Angkor Wat revealed

The hidden graffiti of Angkor Wat: Nasa technology reveals more than 200 hidden paintings of gods and elephants on temples

  • Faded pictures in the temple show gods, musical instruments and boats
  • Some are thought to be graffiti left by pilgrims after the Hindu temple was abandoned in 15th century
  • Other more skilful works are thought to be part of a renovation effort
  • Paintings were revealed using ‘decorrelation stretch analysis’ to enhance photos – the same technique used by Nasa to examine Martian rocks

Millions of travellers make the pilgrimage to Angkor Wat to take in the incredible 900-year-old towers and sculptures of Cambodia’s iconic temple complex.

And now they have extra cause to make the trip, after archaeologists used Nasa technology to reveal 200 hidden paintings on the buildings’ walls.

While the faded pictures might be invisible to the naked eye, processed images show elephants, gods, musical instruments, boats and patterns, which are all thought to be ancient graffiti.

A discovery to trumpet!Technology used by Nasa has revealed 200 hidden paintings on the walls of Angkor Wat, including this pair of elephants

HOW WERE THE IMAGES REVEALED?

Archaeologist Noel Hidalgo took photographs with a bright flash and later used ‘decorrelation stretch analysis’ to enhance them and reveal the artwork on the walls.

The tool is also used by Nasa Places to sell lacquer paintings in tphcm look at the subtle colour differences in Martian rock in photographs taken by its Opportunity rover on the red planet.

At Angkor Wat it revealed more than 200 images of animals such as lions and elephants, people; deities including the Hindu monkey god Hanuman; boats and an image of the temple complex itself, a selection of which have been published in the journal Antiquity.

Experts believe that the artistic markings were made by pilgrims visiting the holy site after it was abandoned in the 15th century, but the more elaborate paintings could have been created during earlier attempts to restore the temple to its former glory, reported.

The 500-acre temple complex was built in the 12th century and is known for its intricate carvings, some of which measure more than half a mile (1km) in length.

Most archaeologists believe that parts of the temple were painted, so when Noel Hidalgo Tan, a rock-art researcher at Australian National University in Canberra spotted paint traces and faint images in 2010 he was excited.

He took photographs with a bright flash and later used ‘decorrelation stretch analysis’ to enhance them and reveal the artwork on the walls.

The tool is also used by Nasa to look at the subtle colour differences in Martian rock in photographs taken by its Opportunity rover on the red planet.

The Angkor Wat temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century.Although Angkor Wat appears, at first glance, to be a mass of stone with a central causeway it actually consists of a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels connected by stairs

Revealed: Experts took photographs of the fadest areas showing traces of paint (top images) with a bright flash and later used ‘decorrelation stretch analysis’ to enhance their photographs and reveal the artwork on the walls.A painting of Angkor wat is pictured left and a boat, right

No monkey business: Experts believe that the artistic markings were made by pilgrims visiting the holy site after it was abandoned in the 15th century, but the more elaborate paintings could have been created during earlier attempts to restore the temple to its former glory.A Hindu monkey god is pictured

But at Angkor Wat it revealed more than 200 images of animals such as lions and elephants, people, deities including the Hindu monkey god Hanuman, boats and an image of the temple complex itself, a selection of which have been published in the journal Antiquity.

‘Some of the most detailed paintings, the ones located at the top of the temple, are passed by literally thousands of visitors every day, but the most elaborate scenes are effectively invisible to the naked eye,’ Dr Tan told.

Because some of the paintings are so haphazardly arranged, experts believe they were graffiti left by visitors after the temple was abandoned for the first time in 1431.

However, one group of painstakingly-drawn pictures, which are drawn on the highest part of one of the temple’s towers, are thought to be part of a 16th century restoration programme, when the building was converted from a Hindu temple to a Buddhist holy site.

Mapped: The 500-acre temple complex was built in the 12th century and is known for its intricate carvings, some of which measure almost 1,093yards (1km) in length.Here, a map shows where hidden paintings were discovered

Music to archaeologists’ ears: A chamber – known as the Bakan – contains a scene showing Khmer musical instruments (pictured) such as different types of xylophones, gongs and wind instruments

The real deal: A Khmer musical ensemble known as the pinpeat, which is made up of gongs and appears in the faded artwork is pictured

The chamber – known as the Bakan – contains a scene showing Khmer musical instruments such as different types of xylophones, gongs and wind instruments as well as another showing people riding horses between simples.

Dr Tan believes that the most skilful artworks may have been commissioned by Cambodia’s King Ang Chan who launched the restoration project.

During his reign between 1528 and 1566 Angkor Wat was transformed from a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu into a Buddhist site and numerous carvings were completed.

Some of the faded paintings appear to support his theory as they feature Buddhist iconography such as a monument known as a stupa.

It is thought that the long-lost paintings could further experts’ knowledge about a little-known period in the temple’s existence. 

Angkor Wat (pictured) lies 3.4 miles (5.5km) north of the town of Siem Reap in Cambodia.The region contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries

THE RAMBLING COMPLEX OF ANGOR WAT

Angkor in Cambodia is one of the most significant archaeological sites in southeast Asia and home to the magnificent remains of the Angkor Wat

The temple complex lies 3.4 miles (5.5km) north of the town of Siem Reap in Cambodia.The region contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, Places to sell lacquer paintings in tphcm dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries.

The Angkor Wat temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century.

Wat is the Khmer word for temple.It was built as a Hindu place of worship but in 1432, when the capital moved to Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat was maintained by Buddhist monks.

Although Angkor Wat appears, at first glance, to be a mass of stone with a central causeway, it actually consists of a series of elevated towers and covered galleries on different levels connected by stairs.

The galleries and its columns set the boundaries for the first and second levels, while the third level supports five towers – one in each corner, and one in the centre.

Each tower features graduated tiers that create a cone shape, and the highest tower within the temple complex is 699ft (213m).

The outer gallery of the temple contains bas-reliefs that stretch for almost 1,960ft (600m), including the Ramayana gallery in the western section.

It is thought Angkor Wat was built as funerary temple for King Suryavarman II facing the west towards the setting sun – a symbol for death.

The bas-reliefs were designed to be viewed from left to right in the order of a Hindu funeral ritual, and this supports the funerary claims.

Angkor Wat is said to be a ‘miniature replica of the universe in stone’ and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.

Easy riders: The Bakan also contains a frieze showing people riding horses between what appear to be temples (pictured)

Changing rooms: Angkor Wat was transformed from a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu into a Buddhist site.Some of the faded paintings feature Buddhist iconography such as a monument known as a stupa (pictured)

Plain sailing: Experts believe that the artistic markings, such as the boat, pictured, were made by pilgrims visiting the holy temple complex after it was abandoned in the 15th century

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