Angkor Thom, The Royal Terraces

Having looked at the Khmer engravings, it's wonderful to note that the temples still have the power to impress themselves so powerfully, not only on the imagination, but also through their sheer physicality. Here, at Angkor Thom, the twelfth to thirteenth century masonry has weathered in such a way that it seems as though the massive stone blocks themselves are in the process of becoming flesh, taking on life. It feels so palpable that the statuary is in a state of embodiment midway between flesh and stone. 

This is a 1992 photograph taken by John Listopad, showing the east wall at the northern end, using lions and garudas (huge, mythical birdlike creatures) as telamons (columns in the form of a living creature) at the corner. Click on the image to view the whole photo.