Angkor Wat Devata Inventory
Ver. 05-30-2013 by Kent Davis

Angkor Wat, Cambodia – This Angkor Wat Devata Inventory identifies working counts and locations of all devata (sacred female) images in Angkor Wat. We have numerically identified 1,796 devata at the temple, not including those on the high towers.

In her 1926 study, Sappho Marchal cited 1,737 devata, possibly not counting some that are partially completed, worn away, covered by stone blocks (sealed doorways on level A1) or “aerial devata” located on Angkor Wat’s top towers.

DatAsia’s numbering system identifies devata carvings sequentially in five defined structural areas.

A1 – Angkor Wat Top Level (Bakan) + Central Tower

A2 – Angkor Wat Second Level + 2 Libraries

A3 – Angkor Wat Third Level (outside only) + 2 Libraries

A4 – The West Gopura – Entry gate to Angkor Wat

A5 – Angkor Wat South + West Gates (no devata at North Gate)

Our numbering convention identifies the Level; Structure; Inside/Outside Location (relative to the center of the temple); Sequential Devata Number + Additional Details (this can include the feature, photographer, raw photo number, etc.)

e.g. A4-GW-I-009-K
This means the devata is located in area A4, Gate West, Inside, Devata #009, photo by Kent Davis

All numbering begins at the southwest corner of each structure and goes sequentially counter clockwise (from South to North on the West Gopura).

Angkor Wat Devata Inventory

A1 – 407

Central Tower – 64   (#001-062 see NOTE below about number inconsistencies)
Central Tower Aerial – 16
(Theoretical corner tower aerial devata not included NW-NE-SW-SE 16 x 4 = 64)
OUTSIDE – 201   (#001-198 see NOTE below)
INSIDE – 126   (#001-124 see NOTE below)

A2 – 647

A2 OUTSIDE – 341   (#001-328 see NOTE below)
A2 INSIDE – 222   (#001-217 see NOTE below)

A2 LIBRARIES
North – 44   (#001-044)
South – 40   (#001-040)

A3 – 414

OUTSIDE – 241   (#001-241)
INSIDE- 0

A3 LIBRARIES
North – 46   (#001-046)
South – 20   (#001-020)

WEST INSIDE CHAMBERS
Center – 28   (#001-028)
North & South – 8+8   (#001-016)

CRUCIFORM GALLERY
North – 34  ( #001-034)
South – 29   (#001-029)

A4 – Gate West – 258

West (OUTSIDE) – 124   (#001-122 see NOTE below)
East (INSIDE) – 118   (#001-119 see NOTE below)
Entry Chamber North – 8   (#001-008)
Entry Chamber South – 8   (#001-008)

A5 – 69

A5-South Gate – 25   (#001-024 see NOTE below)
A5-East Gate – 40   (#001-040)
A5-West Library – 4*   (#001-004)

Total: 1,795 unique devata**

* These devata are a different style and appear to have been added during the reign of Jayavarman VII or later.

** This inventory includes all identified devata, including some that are incomplete, eroded almost beyond recognition or of questionable style/craftsmanship that may indicate they were added after original construction (circa 1,120-1,150 AD).  Also, the four A1 corner towers may have had as many as 16 devata each, which could increase the inventory count by 64.

NOTE: Original DatAsia numbers were assigned to correspond with the conservation database created by the German Apsara Conservation Project so data could be compared. Since 1997, GACP has managed stone conservation teams at Angkor Wat, including restoration of individual devata.

Unfortunately, the GACP database has some numerical inconsistencies due to later additions and errors. For example, some GACP numbers have more than one devata, for example on the West Gate Outside with  96 & 96a, 100 & 100a. While devata numbers range from 001-122, there are actually 124 devata, due to the two inserted (96a and 100a). This also occurs on A1 Outside, where the numerical sequence only goes to 198 but covers a population of 201 devata.

In the case of the West Gate Inside, GACP numbering skipped 021, so devata are numbered 001-119, but only 118 devata appear on that side of the structure.

Another issue is that the GACP numbers run counterclockwise, even for devata inside levels A1 and A2. This means that they are numbered right to left (…3, 2, 1) instead of left to right on the outside devata (1, 2, 3…), which is less intuitive when viewing.

When the Devata.org database is complete a final, sequentially perfect number will be assigned to each devata portrait. In the meantime, we continue to use the GACP legacy system for easier cross referencing.