When Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century, the temple was dedicated to Lord Sri Maha Vishnu. This 16 ½ foot, sandstone likeness stands beneath a parasol at the western entrance. The Hindu deity is considered to be the supreme god of all beings for all time and the god of preservation. When Angkor Wat became a Buddhist temple in the late 13th century, the statue’s head was replaced with a Buddha image. The original head was returned during a 2000 restoration project. The sculpture, known as Ta Reach or the King of the Ancestors, is still revered by Cambodians. They frequently make an offering of a pig’s head.
