Site study: Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei, the "Citadel of Women", was discovered by the French Geographical Service in 1914, in the forest near Mt Kulen about 25 km north of Angkor proper. It was built by Yajnavaraha a counsellor (guru) of King Rajendravarman 11. Rajendravarman 11 ruled from 944-968 CE. He moved the capital back to the Angkor region and restored Khmer power across the region by successfully raiding neighbouring regions in Vietnam and Thailand. The temple was associated with small town of Isavarapura. It was cleared in 1924 by Parmentier and published by Goloube in 1925. It is notable because it was fully restored using anastylosis from 1931-36 by Marchal. It was the first temple at Angkor to receive this treatment. The central foundation stele, discovered in 1936, allows the temple to be dated. The inscription gives a date of April-May 967, the last year of Rajendravarman 11's reign. The mention of a linga of Shiva in the central sanctuary gives us its official name: Great Lord of the Three-fold World, Tribhuvanamahesvara.