Hidden within the walls of Angkor Thom lies a terrace named for a king afflicted with leprosy—but the truth behind its name is far stranger. In this episode, Lucas and Luna unravel the mystery of the Leper King Terrace, its silent guardian statue, and the legends that surround it. They explore the historical figure of Yasovarman I, who may have been the original 'leper king,' and the later ruler Jayavarman VIII, whose paranoia reshaped Angkor's religious landscape. Through the accounts of Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan, they piece together a possible ritual of royal purification. The conversation also uncovers the terrace's hidden second wall, discovered only in the 1990s, and the 1996 discovery of the statue's separated head, now displayed in Phnom Penh. With insights into Angkorian kingship, the devaraja cult, and the kingdom's shifting faiths, this episode peels back layers of stone and legend to reveal the anxieties of an empire at its peak. For anyone fascinated by Angkor's enduring mysteries, this is a journey into the heart of its royal enigma.
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Fexingo. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Fexingo och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
