This lintel once graced the east entrance to an early Khmer brick sanctuary. Its uniqueness lies in its decoration, given to a single motif: a glaring, fearsome monster face with anthropomorphic arms and hands, emerging from luxuriant foliage. Where did such a creature originate? The protective kirttimukha (face of glory) is an ancient motif in Indian art. This mask also hints at Chinese dragons, such as the monster-faced anthropomorph in funerary sculpture of the Northern Qi and Sui dynasties (6th–7th century). This rare Khmer rendering of a monster mask is among the earliest known in a Southeast Asian context.

cat. no. 18