via Khmer Times, 13 May 2020: Contextual mythology to accompany the discovery of turtle sculptures in Srah Srang over the last week.
The recent unearthed turtle stone statue at Srah Srang reservoir at Angkor, calls for a visit into the mythology of this sacred reptile, in the context of Angkorian culture.
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As such, sacred turtle representation is common at Angkor. They appear either as large carved stone statues, like the one that was unearthed recently at Srah Srang, or small votive sculptures when they are used as offering at the foundation of many temples. But the best representation containing a sacred turtle is in the form of narrative bas-reliefs – carvings on the walls of Angkor Wat that tell mythical stories.