About this module

Using an inquiry-based approach, this module develops students' skills as historians through engaging historical sources. Featuring sources from the National Library's collections, the resource caters for flexible approaches to suit diverse classroom contexts and learning styles.

Introductory activities

1. What do you know about Cambodia? Have the class share what they know or would like to know about Cambodia and the Khmer Empire.

2. The Khmer Empire was a major medieval empire in South-East Asia, centred in what is now modern Cambodia. Using an atlas or internet map service, locate Cambodia and locate the cities of:

   • Angkor
   • Hariharalya
   • Tonlé Sap
   • Phnom Penh

   How close are they to other states and territories? What geographic advantages or disadvantages do these cities have? Are there any common features?

3. The Khmer Empire spanned the period between 802 and 1431. What events were happening in other parts of the world at this time? Using a blank map of the world, show events happening across the globe in this period. You could use images to represent the event(s) in different countries; they could be grouped according to type, such as wars, buildings, cultural achievements, political events, etc.
4. The Khmer Empire used a form of writing called Sanskrit. It is the principal language of Hinduism and Buddhism. The names of many Khmer rulers have similar Sanskrit roots or parts; for example, Jayavarman, Isnavarman, Indravarman, Jayavirahvarman - the -varman ending coming from the noun meaning ‘protection, shelter’. Research a list of kings and find similar name parts and find their meaning. Why might kings all share similar names?

Concluding activities

1. Have students explore the Angkor site using an internet map service such as Google Maps and Street View. Ask them to spot remnants of the Khmer Empire. For example, students can ‘walk’ into Angkor Wat and see sculptures on the walls, statues in the courtyards. Ask them to describe their thoughts of the building(s) and consider the meaning of these works.

2. A collaboration between archaeologists, historians and Virtual History specialists based in Australia, Cambodia and the United States has brought daily life in medieval Angkor to life through their Virtual Angkor project. Students can watch computer generated renderings of theorised life at Angkor on the Virtual Angkor site.

   All images and works featured on Virtual Angkor are copyright Monash University (SensiLab). Please do not reproduce without permission.

3. The National Library of Australia holds the Coffin Collection. This series of photographs, taken mainly in the 1960s, shows Angkor and other Khmer sites with an emphasis on sculpture and architectural elements. The images used in this module are primarily drawn from this collection. A selection of the photographs has been digitised and is accessible for free through the Library catalogue.

Curriculum links

This resource has been developed to support the Australian Curriculum: History Depth Study ‘The Asia–Pacific world’ for Year 8 students.

It has specific reference to four content descriptions in The Angkor/Khmer Empire (c.802-c.1431):

• The way of life in the Khmer Empire, including, social, cultural, economic and political features (including the role of the king) (ACDSEH011)
• Reasons for Angkor’s rise to prominence, including wealth from trade and agriculture (ACDSEH060)
• Cultural achievements of the Khmer civilisation, including its system of water management and the building of the temples of Angkor (ACDSEH061)
• Theories of the decline of Angkor, such as the overuse of water resources, neglect of public works as a result of ongoing war, and the effects of climate change (ACDSEH062)